Fullmetal Dreamer
by Uber Stone Undertaker
Summary: This girl's been having nightmares; normal. In them, she is a man, a 'demon' and a villian; But in these dreams she is also a prince, a charmer, and a hero...So if only she could remember these dreams, then she could figure out what the sudden shift in Amestris means, and what it has to do with her and her new friends! If you like, tell me and/pr even submit your own charater!
1. The Dreams

Do you know the story of Edward and Alphonse Elric? The infamous duo who at a young age sought out the powers of a god, to bring their mother back from the dead, and only succeeded in creating a monster, losing precious parts of their body and seeing Truth? Well, here's another story, some years after they finally gained their goals.

In fact, you could say it was the Next Generation of the Fullmetal Alchemists…  
_

It was night, pitch black darkness, and that insanely familiar 'dream' was again haunting a young woman.

_She walked calmly down the underground path…She knew the area, and she knew she was being followed…Or was she just imagining those small little creeks and shadows quickly flashing by?_

"_Who's there? Show yourself, damnit." Her voice came out masculine; the dreamer KNEW that here, she was a he…For some strange reason. "I am." A smaller, childish voice state boldly, a tiny girl stepped out from behind one of the pipes. "And you are…?" She asked, as if she had any right asking HIM who he was! She looked at him for a while, then snapped her fingers without waiting for the man's reply. "You're Ling! My dearest Alphonse's friend!" She got a dreamy look in her eyes, speaking of the younger Elric boy._

"_Am I? Really, I had no idea." The man growled. "Name's not Ling anymore. I'm Greed. Don't forget it, brat." The homunculus smirked at the girl, lunging at her and laughing when she ran off instantly. '__Maybe you should chase her__.' The 'man' heard. It was the real Ling, trying to give the being advice. "Ha, nice try. I don't have the time, and you just want me in trouble with Father." Greed said aloud, smirking and walking towards the Throne Room, as he called it. _

_A few moments pass, and the dreamer and her host reach the so-called Father.  
"Hey, Pops, whatcha got?" Greed asked immediately. The old looking man sighed, tired of Greed's…Greed. "An announcement," He stated simply. All his beloved 'children' gathered around.  
Lust, Sloth, Gluttony, Envy, and Greed himself at the moment; seeing as how Pride and Wrath _(A/N: I'm not sure if he's really called that, sorry if it's a mistake.) _where with the humans, playing their parts in the plan. _

"_There has been a setback…So, Lust and Gluttony will go fix it," the old man grumbles. 'Yeah, we are totally mind readers, Daddio!' Greed inwardly deadpans.  
"They are to go and watch the older Elric brother and report back what is going on. Envy, Greed…Just don't mess anything up." _

'_Why thanks, Pops! Real pro at freakin' being NICE. Damn old fu-'  
'__Language, please, language… __'_

_UGH! Even his damn host was nagging him! When did that even start…!_

"…_Furthermore, blah-blah-blah, world domination, blech, human's will die, and dadadadaa…" Was all Greed really heard, due to the inner arguments with his host._

_Much to the dreamer's annoyance…She had already felt that all this was important, and tried so hard to remember it when she would eventually awaken, but this idiot wouldn't SHUT UP AND LISTEN!  
And then of all times, the dreamer awakens.  
All that is heard is the softest and saddest…_

"Damnit… Still can't remember that dream."


	2. OC Forum

Mmm, it has come to my attention that I forgot a crucial part to an OC story…  
The OC Request Form.

Woe is me, what a shameful mistake I made! *looks away with pity tears* I must right my mistake…Here I go!

Name (first, middle and last):

Alchemy Name:

Gender:

Parents:

Form of Alchemy:

Direct Family:

Appearance:

Personality:

History:

Relationship (with anyone): Yes or No?

Here's an example;

Name (first, middle and last): Katsume Andāteikā Yao

Alchemy Name: The Lady Undertaker

Gender: Female

Parents: Lin Yao and Lan Fan.

Form of Alchemy: She can use both alkahestry and alchemy, but prefers to use the latter.

Direct Family: The fifty royal families of Xing would adopt her if anything happened to Lin Yao or Lan Fan.

Appearance: Katsume has long neon red hair, golden inner irises and pale green outer irises, she is medium aged for her age and very endowed in the upper area. She is tan and has so-white-they-nearly-blind-you sharp teeth, like a cougar's, and an automail right arm.

Personality: Lazy, sarcastic and cruel are the main acts that Katsume uses in public, as she feels she needs to hide her true self from the world until _something_ happens (she -just doesn't know what yet). But calm, empathetic, and semi-caring on the inside. She has always been seen as horrible person in her people's eyes; Katsume has slowly grown to hate them, but cannot fully despise them. She still loves her parents.

History: Katsume's parents _are_ Lin Yao and Lan Fan, but technically she is not exactly human. When Greed was in Lin, he saw Lan Fan on the street looking for Fu. He liked what he saw and being Greed…He _took_ it. Months later (after the end of FMA Brotherhood) Lan Fan gave birth to Katsume, unknown to Lin. Lan Fan had wanted to kill the infant curse, but saw the look of innocence in her eyes, so she let Katsume live. Lin Yao later learned that he had a daughter.

Relationship (with anyone): NoYesMaybeSo. _

Yeaaa…So, that's it. Next chappie will be longer, and sooner!

Read and review.


	3. Her Announcement

(A/N: Ok, I spelled Ling's name wrong for an entire chapter [DAMN YOU, WIKI SPELLING!] so from now on, it's '_Ling_ Yao', not _Lin_ Yao. Kay? Good. Enjoy the story!  
I do not own FMA, or FMA: Brotherhood.)

"_Damnit… I still can't remember that dream." _

"Katsume Andāteikā Yao, first daughter of Ling Yao and Lan Fan…Step forward."

_Silence._

"Ahem, Katsume Andāteikā Yao, first daughter of Ling Yao and Lan Fan- Step. Forward."

"…"

The Priest sighed. "KATSUME ANDATEIKA YAO, WAKE UP AND STEP FORWARD!"

Kat jumped up, seemingly from nowhere, and landed gracefully on the colorful platform.

"I am here, Seng-danna." The girl stated, as if she were not just half asleep a few seconds ago. The one called Seng sighed again, and ran a callused hand though gray short hair. "First Daughter, do you know your vow?" He asked, choosing to ignore the girl's strange antics. Katsume nodded solemnly. "Aye, I do." She smiled.  
"'Chichiyo anata wa watashi o kiku koto ga dekimasu ka? Watashi wa anata no hanashi o kiite inai, shikashi, sore ga kakikoma reru yō ni watashi no monogataridearu. Kami ga watashi no tabi de watashi o tasukeru tame ni yobidashite, watashi wa Amestris ni iku tame ni!'" Katsume's words flowed boldly to the old priest, making him smile and slowly nod his head.

"And in English?" He asked, his eyes glowing with benevolence.

"'Father can you hear me? I heard your stories, but now it is my story to be written. Call the gods to aid me in my journey, for I go to Amestris!'" She smirked smugly.

"Such ambition. Just like your father, my dear." Seng laughed, patting Katsume on the back. "You shall do good on the throne someday, child." Seng smiled.

"…You mean I'll be good in the birthing chambers, correct Seng-danna?" Katsume mused, gathering her books and heading towards the door. "No, no. I would never say such a thing." Seng frowned slightly, perplexed. "And you didn't~." Katsume smirked, leaving.

"…I wish that child would stop with all this cruel acting…" Seng sighed, going back to work.

Katsume waltz the great halls of her father's Xing palace, spinning now and then until she stopped at a huge golden door.  
"Father, may I enter?" The red head asked. "Yes, yes! Come right in, Kitty!" Katsume smiled and slipped inside the throne room. "How is my Red Jewel of Xing?" Ling Yao asked his beloved daughter.

"I am fine, dad, how're ye?" She asked, sitting next to her father. "Never better! The Chang's are visiting over for a feast tonight, so behave." Ling smirked slowly, standing and hugging Katsume. "Wh-at's th-e fea-st fo-r?" Katsume coughed when her father finished. "Oh? Do you not know? Le gasps!" Ling covered his mouth in mock shock.

"Hey! You know best that I'm antisocial, dad. What's the feast for?" She asked again. "You, silly! You turn 14 soon!" Her father giggled. "And for your 'trip' to Amestris, right hunny?" A playful, light voice asked. Katsume froze, and then fell over. "Mom, how did you know? Did Seng rat me out?"

"No, I'm just your Mom. And you are _NOT_-"

"So, when are you leaving?" Ling asked, straight faced and leaning forward.

"This evening, or tomorrow morning." Katsume shrugged, closing her eyes slightly.

"Reaaally? That soon?" Ling frowned, and then smiled lazily. "I see your greed for seeing the world hasn't changed." He mused, chuckling. "Maybe. But I still wish to leave for Amestris."

"Heh, now you _wish_ for it?" Lan Fan laughed, smiling sadly. "Just seek out Fuher Mustang, alright? He's an old friend of Xing." She chuckles, now leaning in to kiss Katsume on the cheek. "Go get ready, Katsume." Ling advices. Katsume nods and runs to her room to get ready, and so her parents didn't see her teary eyes.

!~In Katsume's room, later that day~!

'_Must they all fuss like this? Foolish servants._' Kat thought to herself as she hears, yet again, the noisy serving maids shuffle at her door. "Dinner, ma'am." One says plainly and leaves. Kat shakes her head and sneers. "Let's go, then." She chuckles darkly and sets out to the '_dining room'_.  
Said lovely room's walls were coated in soft colors, like jade and mellow golden. The result was a fairly calming and serene effect, which the royal family adores.

"Kitty!" A shrill, giggly voice yells across the hall. Kat freezes. '_So much for serene…_'

"Mei Chang! Xiao Mai! How are you, madam?" Kat bows her head and simple closes her eyes slightly tighter when the older woman grips her in a titanium hug and begins swinging her around. "Fantastic! My Alphonse and I have had the greatest time recently! We went to the café in Amestris, then- later that night- we visited his older brother, Mr. E, and we just talked and talked and talked the night away! So, how've you been?" Mei asks as she finally sets Katsume down. "Fine, madam. Nothing new to report, sorry. But I am leaving for Amestris tonigh-" "Oh, you are! That's great, Kitty! We can ride togeth-" "No!" Kat shouted, frowning. "Huh?" Mei's eyes gleamed deviously as she began to tap her foot.

"Ah, no thank you, madam. I am taking a personal route, Lady Chang," Kat paused, forcing her frown to turn sad before Mei could see the sneer. "Speaking of personal, how's Alphonse?" Kat smile kindly. "Oh!~ He's fine! Since he's working out so much, he's _really_ buff!" Kat hid her disgust. "Oh really? Good for you, madam." Kat said politely. Mei nodded and looked away, waving to someone. "Here, Xiao Mai, take this nice tasty role the chef…_gave_ me," Kat hissed softly, rolling the role past the shrunken panda.

"Oh my, Mei! Your pet is running off." Kat observed mildly. "Ah! Not again! Xiao Mai! Come baaaaack!" The older princess ran off, screaming. Kat smirked and walked to the table. "Hiya, mom. Dad." Lan Fan sighed, but smiled. "Hello, daughter. Ready to eat?" Kat smiled and nodded, chuckling. Ling nodded, called the feast to a start.

Now, if you've ever been to a feast, you'd think about an all you can eat buffet, right? No. This was a _feast. _Food enough to feed Xing, and more, all eaten by nobles and some lucky servants. '_Man, dad's seriously greedy, isn't he?_' Kat mused silently, enjoying her noodles.

Everything was peaceful, and everyone enjoyed the food. But, Kat became weary of the guard around the room. Especially the one with the short black hair in a blue cap, black eyes, a dark blue coat and a white shirt inside with nice dark blue pants and matching black shoes. To Kat, this boy seemed out of place and odd.

"…Father, who's that?" Katsume asked, pointing with her fork.  
"Who?" Ling looked up and around.  
"Him."  
"I don't see anyone."  
"Look,"  
"I still don't see anyone…"  
"Dad!" Kat pouted.  
"Don't yell at your father!" Lan Fan scolded.  
"_Look!_" Kat hissed.  
"I see," Ling said thoughtfully  
"You see him?" Kat perked up.  
"I see the pillar."  
"_GUH!_"

Kat slowly, somehow silently, slammed her head on the table.  
When she looked up, trying to point out the boy, she gaped. "Ok, who's _THAT_?" She asked, her eyes twitching as she saw a two tall blonde men walk along the table.

"Oh, just the Elric Brothers." Ling said causally.

Kat's head once again found the table. 'Why are my parents to weird?'


	4. Come with me

_Kat's head once again found the table. 'Why are my parents to weird?'_

"The feast was eaten, da speech was beaten, and thhhe guests were -_hic_-…meet'n…YEAH!" One of the…_less sober _guests slurred, tossing his glass in the air.

Katsume visably paled. 'Drunk bastards.' Her parents had already left to speak with the other clan, the Chang's, and Kat hadn't seen hind nor hair of the duo. She sighed. That would mean she'd have to stay until the reappeared so she could leave. Of course, she could always do something utterly moronic to get their attention, but that was what commoners would do. 'Drunk common-'

"Hmehhehe -_hic_- hello my -_hic_- lady." A voice slurred from behind her. 'Yup. Here come's that _something stupid_.' She inwardly sighed. She put on her best, sweetest, persuasive-face and turned around.

"Yes, good sir?" She giggled lightly, pulling a fan out and covering her mouth with it. "I was, uhm, wonder-_hic_-in' if you would -_hic_- like to…ahem, _dance_ wive me?" The man asked, giggling under his breath. 'Oh, yes. Surely he means 'dance'. What does he take me for, a ' "Oh? Really? Why is that, _good sir_?" She fluttered the fan slightly, smiling again. "I -_hic_- just wanted to -_hic_- '_dance_' with a pretty maid, s'all." He laughed boisterously. Katsume smiled, pulling the fan away. "How are you enjoying the feast?" She purred, catching _all_ of his attention. "A lot better, -_hic_- with a lady such -_hic_- a pretty lady -_hic_- by my side." He loud-whispered excitedly. "Hmm….Well, that's good. _Say_,what's your name,_ good sir_?" Kat's sultry purring made the man widen his eyes wide. "I, am lord -_hic_- Koori Tri, I come from faaar -_hic_- from here and-" Kat quickly put the fan to his lips to silence the _lord_. "Wanna know something, Hickory Tree?" Kat's voice was suddenly low and venomous.

"_Wh_-_wha_-_what? _What did you just -_hic_- call me? Yo-you, you…" Kat smirked and swatted his lips with the fan, leaving them reddened. "Listen, Hickory Tree, watch what you say before you_…regret it_." She warned lightly, smirking wickedly. "You little -_hic_- wrenc-" A flash of light and the sound of a crack of lightning silenced him halfway.  
"I'd love to help you out…" She suddenly purred, brushing the fan across his cheek. '_Now THAT'S more like it!_' Koori Tri no doubt was thinking excitedly.

"…Now, which was did you come in?"

_Silence. _Kat smirked.

"_Hic_…Huh?"

"Idiot. Get away from me, you drunk commoner." As Hickory Tree's eyes flared up in indignity, Kat smirked and leaned forward. "You must be stone drunk if you can't recognize a Yao in their own home, fool." Koori's eyes turned glassy and the man went pale. "_A Yao_?" He stuttered.

Kat leaned forward, sneering. "Katsume Andāteikā Yao. Learn my face, and leave."  
"But-"  
"_Now. Get. Out. NOW._" Kat growled, her eyes gleaming. "But! I-"

"First, you insult me. You call me a _maid_. Then, you try to sleep with a young girl, sick bastard. Thirdly, you insult my family by…_intoxicating_ yourself so much at a small feast."

"Ma'a-" "_If you do not leave now, I will fucking kill you. Get out._"

"Geh, yessir! _Hic_- Ma'am! I'll be -_hic_- going! Yesyesyes-_hic_-yesyes!"

…

….

…

'Time to fine my bags.' Kat mused silently as she stood and made her way to the back room.

_~15 minutes later~_

Kat turned a corner in the hall, when she heard a loud thud. 'What was that…'

"WHAT DID YOU JUST DO TO HIM, RACH!" Someone yelled, flailing their arms. "Aw…Well, he stepped on your bad toe," A tiny girl with long brown hair and big blue eyes rocked back and forth on her heels innocently. Kat frowned, walking into the light and up behind the small one.

In the middle of the room, was military man- couldn't tell what rank- who was lying on his face, in a puddle…With rainbows slowly fading away around his unconscious body. "What happened? …" Kat asked slowly, titling her head to the side. "Oh! Madame Yao!" The man exclaimed. "Why are there rainbows around that body?" She blinked, either not noticing or ignoring the man sweatdrop.

"Oh…Uhm, well…" The tiny one looked away.  
Kat looked at the colors and smirked. "…I like it; Whatever he did, he musta deserved it." She stated happily.

"…You can't be serious. You _can't_ be serious…" The older looking one said. He had small wisps of brown hair, and kind blue eyes. The two had to be related, they had to. The similarities between the two were uncanny.

"What exactly did he do?" Katsume asked, looking at the unconscious man again.

"He stepped on my brother's bad toe!" The tiny one exclaimed, frowning. "And his toe started bleeding again." At which the older man, the tiny one's brother, frowned and shook his head. "What if that was one of the Yao's guards! We'd get killed, Rachel! _Killed!_" The older one yelled, flailing his arms again.

"Bu-bu-but Shane! I-I never thought of it like that…Oh! Please forgive your foolish younger sister, brother!" The tiny one, Rachel, cried out, hugging her older brother's leg and simply clung there. 'One word comes to mind, seeing this girl; Airhead.' Kat inwardly chuckled. 'But this was getting a tad out of hand, now…A little kid taking down a full grown guard? Well, let's see _who's_ he is, first…' Kat leaned forward, checked the insignia on the man's chest and paled significantly.

"Well, you don't have to worry. He's not one on ours." Kat stated, looking calm. 'Shit, shit, shit! Ahaha, we're done. This little kid just knocked out a freaking Chang's guard…' Kat looked closer. 'The…Head guard, as fate would have it.' Kat smirked and looked up, tilting her head to the side. "He's the head of the Chang family's guard. Congratulations, you could have just started a war. Thanksomuch, kid." Kat said pleasantly. "Eh?" Rachel said, blinking dimply. "WHAT?" Her more alert, less care-free, brother yelled, his voice cracking. 'Both slow on the uptake, eh?'

"I said, 'that guard wasn't ours. It was a Chang's guard. And that you could have just caused a Clan war. Thanksomuch, kid.' You understand?" Kat said clearly, her voice mocking and slow. "Grr…Wait, 'ours'? What's that suppose-"  
"Katsume Andāteikā Yao! Ohmygod, I'm a _big_ fan of yours! That one time you did that _epic thing_, a-a-a-and then that _other time_ you had to battle those _guys_ and then the other-other time you had to run, like, _100 miles_ to and from the palace so Lady Lan Fan could talk to Lord Ling! Ohmygod, _you're sooo cool_!" Rachel screeched, squeezing the breath from a very startled Katsume. 'What the- …She _must_ be joking.'

"Yes, um, it was only 9 or 10 miles I ran…And I had a bike…Mom just wanted me to tell him he forgot the flour….I'm not that specia-" "Yes you are! You are the oldest Yao on this generation, Lord Ling's first Daughter! You are famous here!" Rachel stopped and let Kat go abruptly. "Take pride in that." She chirpily. Kat stared blankly at Rachel, not smiling or frowning. Then she nodded. "Yes. I am special. I shouldn't ever say anything negative about any on the Yao family. Thank you, Rachel." Kat said, her eyes alight.

"_Ahem_, about this 'you could have just caused a war' business…Madame Yao, I would like to talk to my sister. _Alone._" Shane growled, glancing at Katsume sideways. "Mmm. Nope. I won't allow that. Here, I'll help you two." Kat smirked, walking over to the man, who was groaning under his breath. "Chalk?" Shane asked, confused out of his mind.

"Yes. Chalk," Kat smirked wickedly, holding up the lime-green stick. Then she set to drawing a complex circular drawing…A transmutation circle! What was this chick gonna do? Kat slowly and carefully drew the circle so that the Chang's guard was in the center. 'I hope this works as I planned.' Kat silently prays. "This should work out fiiine, kiddies!" She chuckled, contradicting her thoughts, clapping her hands together.

In a flash of light and a familiar _shing _sound, that guard and Katsume were lost to the sister-brother duo. "_What did she do?_" Shane yelled, covering his eyes. "I think it's alchemy!" Rachel yelled back helpfully.

"Damn good alchemy, too, kiddie," Kat said from the small plume of smoke. "What did you do?" Shane asked again, heading his head between his hands. "Look and see, _Shane_," Kat purred smugly.

They duo uncover their eyes and looked at the man, shocked. His Xingese uniform was changed into a totally different Clan's uniform. Instead of the pretty and camouflaging green-brown color combo and low tucked in collar of the Chang guards changed into the yellow-brown colors and high, wavy collar of the Tri clan's guards. And Kat looking significantly more scuffed up. "Wha…" Shane began to ask as a small troop of Yao guards were heard nearby. One simply _cannot_ not mishear them, it's impossible.

"Follow my lead, now." Kat hissed, running and slipping into a woozy slide and landing at Rachel's feet. "Ah! What are yo-" "_HALT!_" A voice bellowed, seeing Kat lying on the floor, looking fight-worn and tired; and seeing the sister-brother duo standing over her, Shane crouching at the red-head's side and Rachel looking around blankly. _And_ a Tri clan bodyguard; lying half-dead on the floor.

"What is going on here?" One of the ninja-like men asked. "Uhm…Well, we just-" "Oh, thank you both…Thank you both for saving me from…from that Tri clan's horrible guard. Ooh, I feel so relieved that such kind souls still reside here, after witnessing this man nearly kill me!" Kat coughed, looking weak.

"Princess, are you alright?" Another cried, outraged. "Aye, I am well. Just frightened, sir. Just frightened, these nice people came to aid me, thank you." Kat nodded her head, staying on the ground. "I'm fine. You all may leave, thanks again," Kat reassured, smiling kindly. "_Whoa…_" Shane whispered inaudibly. "Yes, my lady. We shall take our leave now. Enjoy your trip," He bowed, looking happy to leave and patrol somewhere else. "Good evening, sirs. Bye-bye~!" Kat waved a fan at them as they left.

When he was sure they were alone, aside from his sister. "…Why did you save our hide? You don't peg me as the_…giving_ type." Shane said slowly, frowning. "I felt like it." Kat said after a moment. "Uh-huh…" Shane collapsed on the floor in a puddle of nerves. 'She sure is something else…' He thought to himself. 'I guess I'll be lea-' Kat started to think, before Rachel's next words woke her.

"Let me help you up," Rachel's hand was jutted out in her face. Kat stared blankly for a few seconds, slightly shell shocked. '_She wants to…_' Rachel's smiles never faltered, and just as she began to inch back her hand…  
Katsume '_coldhearted_' smiled, and gratefully took it. Rachel saw a warm gleam in the red head's eyes that she instantly liked. '_She wants to help me…So be it…_'

"So, how about some proper introductions?" Rachel asked, giggling. Rachel pulled Kat to her feet, bringing the princess out of her daze and into the conversation. "My name's Rachel Catherine Nightlock. Nice to meet ya~," Rachel giggled, smiling. "I'm Shane J. Nightlock…It's nice to meet you." Shane bowed his head and smiled slightly at his sister's antics. "Hehe, 'J' stands for 'James'! Tehee." Rachel giggled.

Kat smirked, and nodded her head. "I'm Katsume Andāteikā Yao. It's a pleasure to meet you both." Kat bowed at the waist and smiled. "I knew it!" Rachel fist-pumped, smirking at her brother. "I wonder what gave it away…" He murmured, rolling his eyes.

"Back to the main subject," Shane was ever serious! "What about that guard? He'll tell a different tale, when he wakes up. Then we'll all be in trouble." He murmured, looking at said man. "Hmph, like changing the uniform will do much either; It would just cause war between the Yao and the Tri! …Right?" Shane said angrily.  
"No. Earlier, I…'spoke' with Hickory Tree, their leader, and he was drunk out the wazoo. And while he spoke, he insulted me plenty, and I doubt his grandfather will even think of letting him near the army's barracks."

"So?" They asked, blinking. "I still attacked a guard. You're speaking as if they'll never find out." "Simply because they _aren't going to_; I have a plan…If you two agree with it- that is." Kat paused, smiling. "What is it?" The duo asked simultaneously.

"Come with me. Come to Amestris with me."


	5. OC Character Theme Songs

Hey, next chapter's almost up, but while you wait, see below the …

_**FMA OC Story Character Battle Themes**_

Enjoy~!

Katsume: 'Fairy Tale,' Next Generation.

Rachel: 'Sunshine, lollipops and rainbows'. Lesley Gore.

Shane: 'Defying Gravity'. _Wicked_.

(soon to appear) Tomoyo: 'Naoto's Theme,' Persona 4 OST.

Nightlock Duo Theme: 'Anything you can do, I can do better'.

Tomoyo's Hit the Mark: '21 Guns' Gun's and Roses,

Blood Lust Katsume: 'Kill you' Eminem.  
_

Rachel and Shane Team Attack: 'Sakura (Cherry Blossom)'.

Tomoyo Smile: 'Geisha Dream'.

Slaughterer Katsume: 'Butterfly. Delaction Remix. Hime Trance'. SMiLE .dk


	6. To Amestris

"_Come with me. Come to Amestris with me."_

The duo were shocked-silent, and Kat was growing tense with uncertainty. 'I shouldn't have asked, they'll say no and I will look like a fool. Damnit.' Kat's smile was genuine, real and she was also feeling real stupid just standing there like a moron.

"Are you serious?" Rachel asked, her eyes darkened by her bangs- making her face unreadable. "…Yes. I'm serious." Kat said evenly. "Brother…" Rachel began, turning to Shane. "If I go with Kat, and you go to the ruins of Xerxes, we can learn so much more." Rachel pointed out, and then looked at Kat. "Are you really going to Amestris?" She asked, giggling slightly. Kat nodded. "Yes, I am." She said simply.

"Then…" Rachel began, looking at Shane. "This is where we must part ways, sister. Farewell." Shane smiled and hugged Rachel. Rachel smiled and hugged back, no tears at all. "Farewell, brother. This is not goodbye." She muttered into his shoulder. Shane nodded, and kissed her forehead before walking over and kneeling in front of Katsume.

"Please, swear to keep my little sister safe." And with that, he left. Nodding to the girls, he ran down the hall, disappearing. "Let's go, Rachel." Kat smirked, leading the tiny girl towards the exit hall. Soon, they walked side-by-side. "So, Rachel, how old are you? 12, 13?" Kat asked, noticing the small burn on the back of Rachel's left hand. "24." Rachel smiled, her eyes sparkling. "Oh, really~? Heh, I'm 14," Kat said, closing her eyes in amusement. "Why do you want to go to Amestris?" Rachel asked as the turned a corner.

"…I told the priest so I could make my own story, like my father. But really, so I can see- hold on, I'll tell you later. People ahead." Kat suddenly hissed, straightening her back and smiling kindly. Rachel saw the fine difference in Kat's smile when she was faking and from when she was actually smiling. When Kat was faking, her eyes close and the right side of her jaw tightens ever so slightly. When she's not, she fully closes one eye and has a kind of smirk instead of a smile… 'Funny, I just met her and I'm already listing down her quirks.'

The people ahead, whom Rachel hadn't heard until they were just around the corner, were Lan Fan and Ling, looking for Katsume. "Hiya, kitty! Enjoying the feast?" Ling asked, smiling. Kat nodded, her eyes closed. "Yeah, I sure did. I even made a few friends~," Kat chuckled, glancing quickly at Rachel.

"Hello sir! I'm Rachel Nightlock, nice to meet you~!" Rachel cheered, giggling. Ling's eyebrows raised, and a smirk rose upon his face. "Your brother's Shane Nightlock, the detective, and you're an experienced alchemist, the Rainbow Alchemist, correct? You're also acquaintances of little Tomoyo Yama, right?" Rachel sweatdropped, and nodded slowly. "Yes, how did you know?" She asks, the which Ling merely taps his nose.

"We're leaving for Amestris now, dad. If I live, I'll see you later. Bye mom, love ya both." Kat said bluntly, smiling and holding up a pair of bags. "When did you pack me a bag, Kat?" Rachel asked, blinking. "…I didn't. This was all my stuff, but I guess you'd need clothes and toiletries too." Rachel facepalmed, smiling. "Greedy, aren't you?" Ling chuckled, kissing Kat's forehead and hugging her. "We're lucky you aren't clingy and sentimental, Katsume. A tear-fest would slow you down. Enjoy Amestris, daughter." Lan Fan smiled, also kissing the child's forehead and hugging her.  
"Heheh, goodbye mom, dad. Stay safe, ok? See you," Kat hugged them back and then walked off, heading straight for the caravan with Rachel.

"Mm…How long till we reach Amestris?" Rachel asked from across Kat. "I'd say a day and a night…If we didn't rest. So about 2-3 days. Haha, time to kill, huh?" Kat laughed, stretching her arms. "Staring contest?" Rachel asked, smirking playfully. "I warn you, I've never lost." Kat chuckled. Rachel nodded, "Neither have I, Kat," She lied.

"Alright," Kat opened her eyes for the first time, Rachel realized, that they had met; leaning forward challengingly, Kat smirked. "Begin," The chorused.

After a few minutes, Kat yawned –eyes still open- and chuckled. "What," Rachel began, staring at Kat's mainly golden eyes. "Were you saying earlier?" Kat smirked wickedly, her eye flashing. "I was saying, I told the priest that I had wanted to make a name for myself or something, when really…I wanted to research the old alchemy," Rachel's eyes widened a fraction, but she didn't blink to her, credit. "Like what? It's all destroyed," She stated.

"Mmyes, it was, Rachel, it was. When I get what I find, I'll find something called a Philosopher's Stone. And hopefully an old race called 'Homunculus'. My dad was told me about small parts of his journey here and there…And little bits of my own eavesdropping, too." Kat chuckled, smiling toothily. "AAH!" Rachel fell sideways, covering her eyes. "MY EYES!" She yelled, flailing. "YOUR SHINY TEETH BLINDED ME, KAT! I CAN'T SEE~!" Rachel shrieked. "Hey, don't joke about that stuff, Rachel. That's happened before." Kat warned, leaning over the tiny woman. "Note to self; NEVER CHALLENGE KATSUME IN STARING-CONTEST." Rachel wriggled. "…Are you really blind?" Kat asked, finally closing her eyes.

~Days later, Amestris~

Central, East.

A small police car drove quickly past an old abandoned house, the smell of death in the air, the little patroller not noticing it right away as another cop car pasted by…

"Detective Yama, we found another dead body." "Female?" "They all are, sir." "Damn…It was that _same_ killer…" A small, boy with short tomboyish black hair in a blue cap, black eyes, a dark blue coat with a white shirt inside, dark blue pants and black shoes- all neatly primed. "Sir?" A soldier coughed, looking up sheepishly. "What do you think, sir?"

"…I think, we have one skillful killer on our hands. One very skilled killer indeed," He muttered grimly, looking up to see another soldier with a one hand holding out a phone to him. "For me?" The soldier nodded. Detective Yamagishi took the phone, and emotionlessly asked "Who is this?" "It's field agent S. Nightlock, sir. I have my report." Came Shane's politely soft voice from the line. "Speak, agent,"

"I am currently in a small town called Little Xerxes, in the ruins of Xerxses. Here I apprehended three men who claimed to be working for the killer, investigating taboo transmutation," Shane waited to hear his superior's words, but when silence greeted him, he continued. "All three have committed suicide, sir…They took half the building with them in the process." Shane sighed, no doubt rubbing his temples on the other line.

"I see…Did Rachel do anything, Nightlock?" The tiny detective asked, coolly. "…N-no, sir…She's….Well, she's…" Detective Yamagishi's eyes nearly bulged out of his skull as Shane whispered the next sentence. "Kinda been…Well…Ok, sir…Rachel is probably in Amestris right now."

"I see…Alright, agent. Dismissed." _Click._

_Silence…_

'…WHY IS SHE COMING BACK NOW!' The Detective inwardly bellowed.

~With Rachel and Kat, the next day…~

"Rachel…I'm hunnnnggggrrrry. Is this the place you mentioned?" Kat asked, dragging her feet pitifully. "Right here, Royal Pain." Rachel giggled as Kat moaned loudly with relief, ignoring the nickname. "This; is the Café Carefree, where food is their business!" The tiny woman laughed. "Finally, we can eat some decen-" Kat's eyes would've bulged if they were open, but that didn't stop her jaw from hitting the floor. "…Are you sure this is the place, Rachel? It's filthy and smells like a barn." "Yup!"

The 'Café Carefree' must have been named for its decor, or its level of sanitary, of the fact that it looked to carefree to be cleaned, repaired or even painted. This monstrosity of a restaurant looked more like an abandoned warehouse than somewhere one would eat. 'Oh dear lord, what is it we'd _eat!_' Kat paled and stared at Rachel. "Come on~! Slow poke," Rachel giggled, running in.

"Wait for me, Rachel!" Kat had no choice but to run in after the woman, frowning at the people in the bar. No, not even the people…The type of people at the bar. They all looked like they wanted to rip the Xingese princess's head off. "I'll have a sweet-team burger and my friend'll have a…" Rachel looked to Kat, pushing the menu at her slightly. "Water and a napkin…" Kat said lowly, her eyes closed. "Right, here you go." A butch man said gruffly as she pushed Rachel's burger at her and handed Kat a dirty mug of water and a greasy napkin. "T-thanks…" Kat went to sit down next to Rachel, who was tearing into her food in huge bites.

Kat hesitantly tested the water with the tip of her tongue. "Not radioactive…" She muttered, taking a swig. "Good?" Rachel asked, smiling. 'She ate all that food before I could blink…Wow.' Kat mused, nodding. "I'm not dead, am I?" Kat joked, balancing on the back legs of her chair and leaving the other two to hang in the air. "Mmm…We need to get you some different clothes, Kat." Rachel mused, tilting her head.

"What's wrong with what I'm wearing now?" Kat asked, blinking. She looked down to her waist-length open yellow jacket with the white flame design on the wrists, cream-colored shirt tight and lastly her leather belt, which held her assortment of two guns and many small dagger, that held up her white pants. "I think I look fine," Kat stated, adjusting the sheathed cutlass-like blade on her back.

Rachel sweatdropped and shook her head. "Never mind, Kat, never mind…"  
Kat shrugged and looked around, meeting the hostile glares for the other tables (her eyes still closed). "Done?" Kat glanced back at Rachel and nodded. "Let's go-" "We need to pay before we can leave, Kat." Rachel said, and tossed a small pouch at the bartender. "Thanks, sir," She called out as they hurried out.

"Where to now?" Rachel asked, looking around. "Mm…Let's try walking around, so I can see the city a little." Kat offered, snatching up a toothpick and twirling it into her mouth. "I know of an old factory we can check out." Rachel grinned and set off to a slow run.  
"Hurry up," Kat said from next to Rachel, still walking. Rachel blinked, and began running fasted until she was running as if in a marathon.

"…Hurry up~," Kat chuckled as she blew past Rachel as they saw the old warehouse. "SHUT-UP. OR I WILL. BEAT YOU. TO DEATH!" Rachel wheezed. Kat laughed and slowed to a stop in an ally. "You ok?" She finally asked, looking back to see Rachel smiling and pointing behind Kat. "A hole in the wall will let us in easily~ if there are any people to stop us," She giggled, smiling widely. Kat nodded, and took out a piece of chalk. "So~! I finally get to see the great Katsume Yao's fine alchemy!" Rachel leans on a pole and smiles. Kat waved the white stick around. "Aye, prepare to see somethin' special, Rach."

"I hope so, Kat. Hehe," Rachel giggled.

_Shiiing. Whoo~sh…Clickclickclick!_

"Elders first, Rachel." Katsume smirked, standing in front of a perfectly crafted door, holding the practically shining door open for the small woman. "Wow…Kat, it's…It's the most beautiful door I've ever seen…" Rachel swooned dramatically. Kat smirked wider and rolled her eyes. "Age before beauty, woman," Kat chuckled. "Grr…" Rachel stomped in past Kat and glared at the younger girl threateningly. "Respect your elders, _Kitty_~," Rachel suddenly giggled, running in quickly. Kat ran in after her, smiling and looking around excitedly. 'So much to see! Amestris is…Unique.' Kat muses, jumping from iron beam to iron beam and smiling.

Suddenly, Rachel cried out in disgust. "Kat! Come see this," She exclaimed, gagging.

Kat flipped off the beam and landed easily next to Rachel, who was pointing to a closet. "What?" She asked, steeping closer and them covering her nose. "_What_ is in that?" She gagged, pointing at the mildew covered door. "Smells like a dead body!" Rachel and Kat said lightly, looking to each other.

"Can you open it?" Rachel suddenly as she noticed an old rusted lock on the door. Kat nodded. "Yeah, I can…But shoul-" Kat whirled around and threw 3 small kunai at a pillar, after hearing two solid _thumps_ that told her they hit stone, she nodded to herself.. "Kya! Kat, what are you doing!" Rachel flailed her arms and widened her eyes.  
"…Thought I sensed something, sorry."

"Oh dear gods…R-Rachel, do you see what I see?" Kat asked.  
Rachel gulped. "Y-yeah…Kat, I see it; I see the…"


	7. A little Problem

_**(Tomoyo © Mage of Hope; Xia © featherfire535; Rachel & Shane © DoctorWhotaliaandtheOlympians; Zack © Silent's)**_

_Rachel gulped. "Y-yeah…Kat, I see it; I see the…"  
__

Rachel fell backwards and let out a strangled cry. "It's a…" She shook her head, gagging and averting her eyes.

"It's a dead body…" Kat finished for her. "And it's fresh, Rachel…" The Xingese girl laid the back of her hand one body's neck. "It's. Still. Warm…" Kat said softly, now frowning. Kat suddenly bowed her head and began murmuring solemnly.

"'Kare no tamashī wa heiwa-teki ni tsugi no jigen ni idō suru to, towa ni heiwade yasumu koto ga arimasu.'" She opened her eyes and softly prayed. Rachel bowed her head and muttered a soft 'amen' when Kat finished.

"Alright, we need to get out of here and tell the police, Rachel. This body is still warm and its killer might still be here." Kat whispered, pointing to the general area of the door. Rachel nodded, and held up three fingers, mouthing 'we run on 3' to the Xingese princess.

One…

Two…

Three, "_Run, now-_"

Kat's head snapped to the left, a hand on the hilt of her blade and pulling it out halfway.

"Hold it right there," A firmly voiced growl came from the shadows, to the right. 'What? Where did he come from!' Kat whirled around to face the source of the voice and let a low growl emit from her. 'I swear I saw someone behind that pillar…' Kat blinked. It was a little boy who was pointing a gun down at them.

Kat stood up, dropping all the feelings of uncertainty from a moment ago. "You have the right to remain silent, anything you say can and will be used against you-" The small child began, when Kat came up and crouched into his face.

"Where are your parents? And why do you have a gun, little one?" She asked, only to be greeted by simmering anger and cold hostility. "My name," the little boy said, using his free hand to point at himself,

"Is Tomoyo Yuki Yamagishi, _Thunder Detective Prince_! The head of the Yamagishi family! …So please stop referring to me as a little child," Tomoyo said coolly as he pulled away from strange woman. "Hm, how old are you?" Kat asked, tilting her head to the side and ignoring the introduction.

"I am 13 years old, miss. Why?" Tomoyo asked, glaring at Katsume. "Then you are a little child. I'm older than you, Miss." Kat said, earning a warning click from the gun this officer was holding. "It would be _mister_, miss." Tomoyo said, pointing the gun straight at Kat's forehead, the cool metal meeting Kat's tanned skin. "Please step away and place your hands on the ground," The short boy ordered.

"If you are a Yamagishi, then I suppose I should greet you properly, mister-miss." Kat said, jumping up into the air and landing in a steel beam. "Shoot at me, Yamagishi. Or I'll cut you down," Kat said, pulling her blade from its sheath.

"One hit, all it'll take!" The mini-detective said in deadpan, frowning and instantly aiming his gun at Katsume, firing without mercy.

Kat sidestepped all the shots easily, smiling and keeping her balance. "It's that all you've got, Yamagishi?" The Xingese princess laughed, jumping from beam to beam and disappearing from Tomoyo's line of sight. '_Where is she, damnit?_'

"I must say, if you cannot find me here…It is rather disappointing. I thought he'd have taught you better, Yamagishi." Kat's voice echoed, her form still hidden. "Come out and face me," Tomoyo growled, looking around and frowning more. "You force me to use this, then!" The tiny detective yelled, and pulled out a piece of paper and chalk. 'So, we have another alchemist, do we? Interesting.' Kat thinks to herself, smirking more from her hidden place. As he drew, Tomoyo spoke in a harsh voice. "I kill when I need to, that is my role as a part of the military and police force."

Kat rolled her eyes at the boy and smiled as he drew a transmutation circle in record time. "Feel the Yamagishi thunder alchemy!" Tomoyo yelled, and in a flash of light sent lightning flying everywhere. Rachel hid behind a pillar, only suffering minor burns.

…

"Oh, god! Tomoyo just…Just killed Kat!" She whispered, covering her mouth in horror.

"Now, if you can move, come out with your hands up." The tiny, killer policeman ordered.

_Silence_… 'I must have really killed her…'

"Oh-ho-hoh~!" Came a giggling echo. "That was quiet the show~! To-mo-yo~!" Kat laughed, causing him to look around franticly. "Come out-" Kat's face was suddenly inches from Tomoyo's face, their eyes meeting.

Kat was upside down, arms crossed behind her head and hanging from the beam above Tomoyo by her ankles. "That was adequate alchemy, kid." She giggled, flipping off the pole and landing a back on her feet. "Seems dad did teach you well~!" Kat cooed, pinching the boy's face. "What are you talking about, girl!" he yelled, slapping her hand away.

"My name," Kat pointed to herself with a piece of chalk. "Is Katsume Andāteikā Yao, Eldest daughter of Ling Yao and Lan Fan," Kat, half whispering the last part, smirked deviously at the awe from the officer's eyes, then she held open left palm facing up, holding her right arm behind her back, and smiled, dropping the chalk. "I'm the _Lady Undertaker of Xing_~!" She suddenly held a piece of paper up and clapped her heels together. 'What was that…?'

"Bye-bye~!" She cooed again, dropping the paper and running backwards to Rachel, never letting her right arm be seen. "Get back here and answer some questio-"

_**BOOM!**_

The paper exploded in a fiery mess, leaving Tomoyo to jump backwards and out of the building.

"RUN LIKE YOU STOLE SOMETHING!" Kat yelled, grabbing Rachel and running out the opposite side. Rachel merely grabbed Kat and carried her out…Dragged, more like it, actually…and screamed all the way, bursting through the window and landing on a dumpster. 'Oww-che…That smarts!' Kat inwardly deadpanned.

"Are you alright, Kitty?" Rachel coughed, slowly climbing out from on top of the dumpster…the _closed _dumpster. "Ye- ow, ow, ow, ow!" Kat hissed in pain, climbing out as well. "What's hurt?" Rachel helped her and looked at her legs, thinking Kat might have broken one with all the acrobatics.

"That mini- detective nearly burned my arm to a nub," Kat said, slow and painfully holding out the burned limb. "Hmm, I'd say…you have a few small 2nd degree burns." She said, softly running a finger over the marks up and down her arm…They looked like a spider had made a thick web and it's outline was permanently traced into Kat's right arm, starting from just a little down her shoulder and wrapping around until each split and when down each finger, where it ended.

"We need to get some ice on this bad-boy, Rachel," Kat said, poking her arm and hissing in pain. "Soon would be nice," She growled, glaring at her arm. Rachel nodded, and clapped her hands together. Kat flinched back slightly when she saw the flash of light, the sighed in content when she felt cool water slowly rushing on her burnt skin. "Thank you so much, Rachel," She hissed softly, smiling in relief.

'Rachel had begun using her water-based alchemy to change the moister in the air around my burns to actually water…Cool, cool water,' Kat slowly sat on the alley ground, still smiling softly. 'It…It warms the heart to have someone care for me without being asked to…For however long it may last, I will love the feeling of Rachel caring for me…as an equal.' And with those last warm thoughts, Katsume passed into unconsciousness.

~With Tomoyo, outside the building…~

"That red-headed girl destroyed a lot of evidence…But she saw plenty of it herself, so the killer may come after her. And she needs to be arrested for such…" Tomoyo Yamagishi was fuming as he hauled himself over to his assistant, Xia Yue Huang.

"Sir, this girl may have some information on the killer himself…So we should peacefully search the surrounding area to find her- and before the killer does. We don't need any more dead bodies," She added sarcastically, receiving a scolding glare from her superior.

"I know, assistant Huang," Tomoyo said coolly, frowning. "Why don't you call up Field Agent Nightlock for me?" He asked agitatedly. Xia saluted and muttered "Your hands aren't crippled" pulling out the phone from her backpack. "Dialing, sir," She said, smirking. "Hello? Hey Rach…We heard ya were in town~, so could you contact us with any information ya got," A pause, the Xia laughed and nodded. "Right, right…Hey, if she needs a good doctor just bring your friend here! …Yeah, yeah, I'll pay for it myself! No biggie…Oh, you're welcome. Right, right. Thanks. Talk to ya later, Rachie. Tell your bro I said hi. Later~," Xia laughed and hung up, smiling as she turned to her chief.

"Rachel will be at the office to report…Well, hospital, really. A friend of her was hurt and they're heading there now." Xia stated, shaking her head slightly.

Xia's mid-length black hair was still an unruly mess- since she's constantly running around- and, as it normally is, tied back in a loose ponytail. Grey eyes and semi-tan skin added to the level of pestilences she causes with all her sarcastic comments; it gives her a smug little outline. Xia was wearing a longish green sleeved sweatshirt, black shorts, and sandals. Not exactly military uniform, but then again, Xia had yet to finish her training.

"Thank you, Huang. You're free to go," Tomoyo rubbed his temples and sighed as soon as the energetic girl ran off. "What did that girl mean by 'Seems dad taught you well'? What did that mean?"

…_Wait…_

~Flash Back~

_A small child was panting heavily, completely covered in dirt and tired.  
The tiny boy used some of his remaining strength to draw a transmutation circle on a piece of paper, while leaning against the tree behind him and holding onto the bark with his legs, as no to fall. _

_The small child was on top of a huge tree, practicing his alchemy. Finally, he clapped his hands together, and placed them on the pa per, creating sparks small._

_But then, some of the sparks hit the tree, creating fire._

_"AAAAAHHH!" The young Tomoyo screamed as he fell from the tree. The dark haired boy wasn't too injured…though when he tried to run, he sprained his ankle and fell to the ground facedown, arms spread and the flames distorting his shadow. To him, everything was happening in slow-motions... "D-damn it...I...I can't move..." The boy felt very sleepy as the darkness overtook his sight…Before the shadows took him completely, he let out a loud and wavering scream._

_Meanwhile, Ling and his beloved wife, Lan Fan, were taking a simple walk when they heard a scream. Both Xingese royals searched for the scream and felt someone's presence a little far away. When they arrived, they saw an unconscious boy and a tree on fire. He looked about their young daughter, Katsume's age._

_"Lan Fan! Quick, we have to get the others and stop the fire!" shouted Ling. Lan Fan nodded before leaving. Then, Ling scooped up the boy in his arms and immediately ran after Lan Fan._

…

'_Poor kid,' He thinks to himself as he places a wet wash-rag on the boy's forehead. 'But lucky…No major burns…just a sprained ankle and loss of stamina…'_

"_Neeegh…Wh-ere…Am I?" The tiny, weak Tomoyo coughed, alarmed when he opened his eyes and couldn't see. "In the palace, kid…What were you doing around that flaming tree?" Ling asked, patting the boy's arm soothingly. "Practicing…my…alchemy…" Tomoyo wheezed. "Ah, I see…" Ling said, chuckling. "Why?" He asked plainly. _

"_I…Need to get…Stronger…" The boy sighed, coughing. 'Hm, he ignored my question…' Ling smirked and chuckled under his breath. "That's a pitiable thought, kid. If setting a tree on fire and jumping out of it makes you stronger, my little girl should be superhuman." Ling joked, looking slightly amused at the boy's reaction. _

"_Geh," The boy slowly turned his face to look directly at Ling. "I want to…To honor my…My Father," Tomoyo coughed, opening his eyes and glaring at Ling. "So I need to get stronger!" The boy yelled, trying to sit up. "Easy, kid…" Ling said softly, smiling still._

"_You want to get strong and honor your papa, huh? Well," Ling stood and helped the boy to his own feet. "I can help you with more than standing, if you are ready for some pretty hardcore training, boy." He offered, smiling and holding out his hand to Tomoyo. Tomoyo half glared, half awed at Ling, who was practically glowing with a strange light, a kind light._

_In the large, green colored palace room, Tomoyo and Ling clasped each other's hands…_

"…_Sensei,"_

….

"Did she mean…She knows my old Sensei?" Tomoyo whispered aloud, his senses still too jarred from the explosion to remember exactly what the '_Lady Undertaker of Xing_' had said…

~A few hours later with Kat and Rachel…~

"Ugh, Rachel…Where are we?" Kat's voice came out tired, and rather pained. "At Central Hospital…You ok?" The small brunette asked, leaning forward and patting the bedside closest to her. "Ye-ah, I'm fine…Did you say Central?" Kat asked, smiling reassuringly and searching her mind for something her father had said. Rachel nodded, looking suddenly infuriated. "Next time I see that stupid pip-squeak who hurt you…I SWEAR I'LL RIP HIS HEAD OFF!" Rachel screamed, glaring at the ceiling.

"Oh…'Kay, then…" Looking around and confirming her thoughts. 'So, this is Amestris's great capitol…Central,' Kat chuckled to herself. 'Well, one of Central's many hospitals.' Thinking of her injuries, Kat looked at herself.

"You have suffered moderate burns, few lacerations on your torso and arms and a lightning-scar on your right arm. I'd say you got off pretty damn lucky to be alive, Miss." A short looking woman stated, frowning at Katsume. "What were you doing that got you that injured?" She asked, looking like she was waiting for Kat so say something stupid.

"Oh, I merely fell down on my way here." Kat smiled and looked straight at the nurse.

"…I hope you know lying a horrible think that horrible little people do," The nurse said as she glared at Katsume, the red-head's feline smirk sending unseen chills up her spine. "Anything else you need?" Kat asked, and without waiting for an answer, looked hintingly at the door. "No? Alright, feel free to send a different nurse in your place while I'm in this hospital," The nurse looked down-right murderous as she walked over to Katsume's bedside and leaned down so Rachel couldn't hear her.

"Listen here, you little brat, if you ever talk to a nurse like that again that way, I will make sure you get the worse treatment ever seen by some ignorant shit like you," She growled, smiling quite unpleasantly.  
Kat only tilted her head up, scratched her neck in boredom and yawned, exposing some very feral looking canine teeth. "I had no idea they made rude ingrates like you nurses here, you rude little man," Kat's jaws clamped together tightly, creating a sole loud _snap _with her teeth and making the nurse jump back.

"You can get out now, because I'm not injured enough to get up and kick you're sorry behind into next year," Kat paused, directing her closed eyes at the woman, reading her nametag and smiling snidely. "Bye-bye, _Margret_," She said condescendingly. "Eh…Eh, who…What…" She was shell-shocked at Kat's words, looking close to tears. Nobody's ever spoke that way to her before in her entire life, ever!  
One last glare from Kat and Rachel, and Margret was gone.

"Wow, Kat…I never thought you could be that mean," Rachel commented when the woman left. "Ehg," Kat groaned and plopped into the pillow again. "It hurts, and her attitude didn't help either,"

"Why did you tell her the truth?"

"I didn't feel like it. And, correct me if I'm wrong, was it really her business to ask me what happened?" Kat smiled, gently laying her arms by her sides. "No, I don't thinks so…Ok, good point…I guess," Rachel looked up, not noticing Kat quickly look down on her violently shaking arms and torso, hoping that she didn't pass out.

"Yo, Rachie! What's up?" A new voice called out from the doorway. "Xia!" Rachel snapped out of her daze and glomped the military looking girl. "I want you to meet my friend, Katsume. Kat, this is an old friend of mine, Xia Huang. We met in Amestris a few years back,"

"Don't you mean 'we met a few years back while Xia was serving hours and I was running around with my tall brooding brother and Xia almost got herself killed'?" Xia, apparently, said in a mimicked version of Rachel's voice. "I'm not that nasally, am I?" Rachel asked, giggling.

"Not really, Rach; It's nice to meet you, Kat-" Xia stopped and looked at Kat, paling when she saw Kat's smile falter for a second. "What happened to your friend?" Xia asked, her voice high. "We got in fight with a Yamagishi-san. Why?" Rachel was still looking at Xia, but her smile was smaller.

"Figures…" Xia stated, walking over the hallway door. "Why?" Rachel slowly turned to face Kat.

Just as Rachel's eyes met the whites of Kat's eyes, Xia popped her head in the hallway and call out "We have a seizure in room 19, we need help!"


	8. Kat's just accident prone

"_We have a seizure in room 19, we need help!"  
__

'Seizure…?' Rachel thought numbly, staring at Kat's rapidly shaking form. "Kat…?" She called out, panicked. 'I am gonna lose Kat?' Rachel stepped out of a random nurses way and suck to the wall. "Ka…Katsume?" Her voice was horse, full of worry…  
Was her new friend really going to die here, now? 'Oh, gods…'

'Looks like I'm a magnet for injury…' Kat thinks as she fights to stay awake. 'Come on…Don't putter out now, you damn body! I still need you!' She inwardly screams.

"_Hold about a deal?_" _A boy asked the Xingese princess. "What kind of deal, Elric?" Her voice came out gruffer, more masculine. "I'll join your group if you let me talk to Ling!" The small blonde boy yelled, his furious eyes glaring relentlessly at Kat's body. _

'Why are they talking about my dad? Who is that kid?'

"_Now, why would I do that?"_

"_Because, if you do…I'll…I'll…." The Elric kid paused, looking up into the forest around them. "I'll help you defeat Father." That caught Greed's attention. _

"_Are you serious?" He asked, smiling and widening his eyes. Elric nodded, smiling slightly. His voice came out soft, and worn…Like he had seen too much in his young days. "If you were to defeat Father, then you wouldn't need Ling's body anymore and you could have anything else you wanted…" Greed nearly scoffed. _

'_Exchange a little bit of Amestris for an entire Xing? HA!' Greed smiled wickedly, and was about to insult the very idea when Ling's voice came out from the recesses of his mind. 'Don't you want a companion, at least for a little while?'_

_Greed paused, looking at Elric. 'Ling, you sounded like some woman just now.' Greed replies, but holds his hand out to Elric anyway.  
"Deal, kid."_

"Hurry! She's unconscious! Somebody, prepare the shock!" A frantic voice choked out.

"I've had enough lightning strike me for one day! So, can it!" Kat's voice growled from the bustle of nurses. "But Miss! We only-"

"I'm fine! Damn, can I lady fall asleep here!" Kat coughed.

So, to make sure she was alright, the nurse ran a few checks, gave a little bit of painkiller and re-stitched a thin little cut on Kat's side. Afterwards, they let Rachel and Xia back inside.

"God, Kat! Are you alright? What was that?" Rachel was frenzied, her eyes wide.

"I just felt a little weak, and thought I'd be fine if I took a nap. That's all~," Kat purred, smiling. Rachel felt a little worn, and sighed. "Alright, I thought…I thought I had lost you, Kat," Rachel looked up at Kat and smirked. "You get in accidents way too often!" She laughed, rushing over and hugging Katsume tightly.

Kat winked and smirked widely. "A cat has nine lives~," She joked, sitting up slowly. "Well, damn! How many you lost so far?" Xia asked sarcastically. "After being banged up so bad, I lost count." Kat answer, causing Xia to roll her eyes. "Any other fantastic wisdom you wish to bestow upon us?" The half Xingese girl asked, smiling smugly.

"Yes; There are three types of people in the world…Those," she paused, smirking. "Who can count, and the one who can't~," She stated laughing. Xia cracked a smile and laughed aloud, sighing at the end. "Man, I wish I had of met you in training! We'd of had a blast!" She giggled, smiling. "But I see you already did~," She pointed to Kat's wounds from the explosion that mini-detective caused.

"What happened, anyway?" She asked, looking a lot more relaxed.

"You can tell Xia the truth…" Rachel prompted, noting Kat's hesitation.

"Alright…We went inside this old abandoned factory, or whatever, and after looking around…We saw this old locker closet, and it smelled _rank_!" Kat began, using her hands to detail the story as she went on. Soon enough, Xia realized this was the '_red-headed bastard'_ her superior was looking for. Not saying anything about what she knew, she innocently asks, "What would you do if you ever saw this detective again…?"

Kat paused, her eyes still closed. She calmly looked up at Xia and tilted her head to the side slightly. "I'd kick his apple-juice sipping pre-k ass!" She shouted, her eyebrow twitching. "_She~_ nearly killed me." Kat smiled still, looking as if she was joking.

"Seriously?" Xia though she was joking, she had to be with that smile on her face. "Absolutely, that juice-sipper'll get what he deserves if I ever see him."  
"But you won't kill him?"  
"I'm not that bad yet!" Kat looked offended; 'Do I really look like a killer? HA!'

Xia smiled, and held out her hand. "I'll show you where Tomoyo-san works."

Kat and Rachel's faces looked positively devilish as Xia quickly began drawing out a map, and telling Kat about the murders while she did…

~With Tomoyo, in Central Offices…~

Tomoyo was with her _unofficial_ colonel, Vato Falman, who hadn't changes at all, except for a few minor and tiny cuts littering his face and arms.

The other subordinates, Kain Fury, Heymans Breda, and Jean Havoc were busy with some paperwork involving contacting the relatives of the victims of the killer and telling them the bad news, finding a decent mortician to bury the bodies and most important, trying to FIND the killer.

If they wasted even a _second_ of work, they would have to face their mini detective's wrath. Tomoyo was in an even worse mood than usual because of that evening's events.

Then, while Falman was on his coffee break and left his office, the subordinates grinned and decided to put their plan in action.

All three of them went up to Tomoyo, who was busy doing his own paperwork (smaller piles of paper all over the desk).

Without looking up, the small detective sighed and growled out, "What do you want; Lieutenants Fury, Breda, Havoc?"

Fury began bravely, ignoring Tomoyo's iron-dagger glare, "Oh! Well, chief, we'd like you to-"

"Oh! It's time for the lunch break now? How wonderful. I really could use a short break," Tomoyo groaned before Fury could finish, twisting his head a little before getting up and heading for the exit and some hot coffee.

"W-wait sir! You haven't even listened to what we were going to say!" Breda said shortly.

"Well, then...That _is_ true. Hmph," Tomoyo huffed out as he admitted his mistake before opening the door.

"Sorry…Oh, and if, on some crazy fit of whimsy, you _ever_ make me drink something childish or infant-like, something oh, say…Like _apple juice_-" Tomoyo looked at the three subordinates with sharp cold eyes that could make even the strongest willed man cringe. "-I will finish you all off in one strike." With that, the deathly serious (and very grumpy) detective left.

After he left, the three subordinates shivered as a cold wind random blew down the hall...

"Chief Yamagishi really is scary enough to be the killer we're looking for!" The three men stated simultaneously.

~Back with Kat and the others…~

"So, this is around the time Chibi-chan comes out for coffee, right?" Kat asked, looking at the homey café. Xia nodded, looking out for her warden like superior.

"And he'll probably be in a foul mood because of the dead-end research." Rachel added. Kat nods, smiling. "Alright, Rachel, Xia…In a few moments, we here's what we'll do;" Kat leaned in and whispered her plan in their ears, smirking deviously as she did.

Xia nodded, "Get in, go, get out and flee on some iron horses~!"

_YEAH/!…A few minutes later….!\\\YEAH_

Tomoyo was contently looking at a menu for the food and coffee he wanted, a small smile playing itself unto his lips. 'Peace and quiet,' He thinks to himself.

"Hello, siiir. May I take you to your seat, siiir?" A smiling, cute waitress asked, shocking Tomoyo out of his coffee-reverie. "Ah, yes. Thanks, ma'am." He replied, his face bland.

"Alright, siiir, follow me, pwease," Tomoyo blinks, staring at the woman ahead of him as he followed her. 'Why is her voice nasally?' Tomoyo dismissed it as a bad cold she had. "You will be sitting at table four, siiir, and I will be with you shortly." The nasally waitress bustled off, and out of sight.

Tomoyo sighed as he sat down, rubbing his temples. After waiting a few moments, Tomoyo set to pondering today's events… 'Alright, that girl with the red hair…If I can find her, arrest her…Or ask politely if she remembers anything about the crime scene…Like if she saw-'

"Hello again, siiir. I'm back, hun! Sorry to keep you waiting, siiir, but we had a little problem with a machine back there," the woman jerked her thumb back at the counter areas. Tomoyo nodded and began to speak when he felt a slam from behind him. Ignoring it, he held the menu up to his face and spoke, unaware of a certain red-head's presence leaning over and talking with the waitress for a moment.

"I'll have a small toasted bread bowl filled with mashed snow pea soup, and a medium coffee, please." He orders, straitening the menu papers. "Ooh, alright, hunny." He heard the click of a pen and scratch against paper. "And please, stop calling me sir, miss."

"Alright, hun. Anything else you want…"

"_Tiny~, Chibi-chan?_" The waitresses voice asked, snickering at the end. Tomoyo gritted his teeth, frowning up at the waitress. "Did you just call me…"

The woman was confused; she looked at Tomoyo and hunched her shoulders. "I didn't hear anything, hunny." She said, walking off. The small detective frowned and sighed, rubbing his temples again. "I'm way too stressed…" He muttered.

"Kid, relax! If you keep it up like this, you'll melt from all that stress in your head," A familiar voice echoed from above Tomoyo. He jumped, looking around and smiling. "Master Ling?" He whispered, bouncing in his seat. "Is that you?" Tomoyo looked around again, frowning when he didn't sense his old master's aura.

"Yea, it's me. The eldest~ Yao," Ling's voice came from above Tomoyo again, chuckling. "Sensei?" Tomoyo called, looking up. "What the-"

_SPLAT!_

A gray, pale and slimy mess slammed into Detective Yamagishi's surprised face.  
A rotten meat pie was just dropped from the ceiling and unto a customer's face; '_How _did it get up there?' Tomoyo asked himself as he begins wiping the spoiled glop off his face and clothes. Tomoyo whirled around, practically growling when he heard someone behind him snicker loud enough for the shock-silenced café to hear. "What's so funny, huh?" He barked.

"Well," The accused began, drawling the word smugly. "Chibi-chan made a messy-mess~. Yes, yes he did!" Whoever was talking poked Tomoyo in the cheek roughly, tilting his head in doing so. "Oh, dearie me, ladies! Little Lightning-bug here is turning rather reeeed, see?" Tomoyo's face heated up, as he coolly growled. "Who…Are you?" He asked.

Kat smirked deviously, "I'm the Eldest Yao, _Miss_ Ya-ma-gi-shi," Kat punctuated her words by poking Tomoyo harder. Rachel chuckled at how low and manly-like her voice got when she said 'Miss'; it was just too much!

"You!" Tomoyo shot up, pulling out his gun and aiming it at Kat. "Me~!" Kat snickered, batting the gun to the side and punching Tomoyo in the face and out the window.

"Geh!" Tomoyo landed heavily on the sidewalk and in a puddle, not expecting Katsume to be that strong. "What the hell!" Tomoyo growled, standing up and aiming his gun at Kat quickly. Kat calmly jumped out the broken window and sat on the edge, leaning toward the barrel of the gun. "Think you'll be quick enough to get a shot in?" She purred, smirking as if she already won. "Yes, in fact I do!" Tomoyo said coldly, pulling the trigger.

_SHUNK!_

Kat sat on the window edge, still smirking, still leaning forward. "How…?" Tomoyo blinked, quickly checking the ammunition. "It was full, so why are you still-"

Water ripped up Tomoyo's legs, freezing and stinging the now helpless appendages. "Huh?"  
"Hiii-ya!" Rachel's feet came into contact with Tomoyo's stomach, hurling him backwards and into a shop window.

"Nice work, Rachel-Chan," Kat chuckled. "No problem, Kitty-Chan!" Rachel waved, and giggled like she HADN'T just falcon kicked Tomoyo into a wall. "Veerry nice indeed," Kat chuckled as Tomoyo pulled himself out of the rubble.

"THIS IS FOR MY HONOR-" Tomoyo stopped, looking around. 'Where the hell'd they go!'

Kat and Rachel had fled on their motor-bikes with Xia back to Central offices, laughing the entire way. "Man! If Tomoyo ever found out I helped you two with that, he'd kill me!" Xia cried, laughing freely. She glanced over at Kat and smirked, swerving her bike into an alley behind a restaurant. "I guess I should interrogate ya," She said as an afterthought. Kat shrugged, her and Rachel swerving to follow Xia. "Sure! Anything to help you, after all; you could have turned me in!" Kat laughed and parked her bike slowly next to Xia's.

"We can all talk in there," Xia pointed to a ladder.  
"The roof?" Rachel asked. "Really?" Xia only shrugged, giggling. "Really."  
Xia walked over to the ladder and started climbing up. "And I couldn't have arrested either of you guys, Kat; I'm not military!"  
"Is that so?" Kat chuckled, jumping from pole to pole on the walls and up to the rooftop.

"Show-off!" Rachel hurriedly climbed up the ladder. "Yes I am!" Kat's voice called out, snickering.

When the three ladies climbed to the rooftop and found little places to sit and began talking. "Alright, so-"

"You said you weren't military?" Kat asked suddenly. "No, I've not finished my training yet. All I need is one superior's approval saying I'm qualified." Xia huffed, glaring at Kat slightly.

"As I was saying, let's start the interrogation," The small girl began pacing suddenly as she spoke. "When were you two at the warehouse?"

"This late morning, early evening." Rachel yawned. "Do I have to be awake for this?" She asked sleepily. Xia shook her head and Rachel plopped on the floor asleep. "I'm unna take a nappy-nap." She muttered before falling asleep.  
"Then what happened?" Xia asked Kat, ignoring Rachel, and still pacing.

"Alright, me and Rachel went to the warehouse just to look around, I was bored and Rachel said we could explore that old abandoned factory," Kat began, leaning back and resting her hands behind her head. "Then after a few minutes, we noticed a smell,"  
"What did it smell like?"

"It smelled like the dungeon or execution ward in the palace," Kat said, dramatically plugging her nose. "Then what?" Xia asked, grabbing a pencil out of her pocket and writing done Kat's statement. "It was coming from a locked closet, the smell, so I unlocked it using my alchemy. There was quite some collection of dead women in there. All of them where Amestrian, between the ages of 27-32, and the cause of death was poisoned blades and injection; speedball of…benzoylmethylecgonine and heroin." Kat said, closing her eyes and frowning slightly.

Xia's jaw literally dropped in surprise. "What does that mean?" She asked, wondering how the hell Kat knew this stuff.

"Cocaine and heroin, both uppers and downers, taken together is called a speedball, and is very dangerous. People looking to get a better high usually inject it anyway they can," Kat said drolly. "But the victims…The drug was forced. The women all had one thing in common…" Kat trailed off. "What?" Xia was leaning forward, her eyes wide. This was more than the police had learned in weeks!

"They all had this mark on their hands," Kat said, pulling out a piece of chalk and begin to draw it on the cement below her.

It began with a circle, then neat lines crossing back and forth…When finished, the drawing looked like the small array appeared to mirror the mysterious double pentagon circle that the upper police force raved about years and years ago.

"It's a…" Xia's eyes widened. "Just a strange transmutation circle…Not much, but if this killer was using these women, what was it for?" Kat wondered aloud, placing the chalk back in her pocket. "Human Transmutation…" Xia mumble softly, widening her eyes more. "We'll be in deep shit if we don't' find this guy!" She yelled, flailing.

"No duh?" Kat chuckled suddenly. "It's a killer? Period. Let me see the evidence you have, Huang; I might be able to solve this stupid case." Xia merely stared at Kat dully, her mouth open. "Huh?" Her eyebrows quirked together in a way that screamed 'What the hell are you talking about you crazed fuck?'. "Well, let's hear that damn evidence before something bad happens~?" Kat held out her hand bluntly. "I-isn't it getting too late for us to work at this?" Xia complained softly, but got the papers out of her nap-sack anyway. The look in Kat's eyes was just too commanding.

"Sharks prey at night, right?" Kat smiled and began reading the files quickly. She was nodding every little bit and so, of frowning and shaking her head in disappointment.

"Hm," Kat pressed her thumb to her bottom lip and smirked wickedly. "Alright, your highest suspect is…Zack X. Willcocks?" Kat asked about half an hour later. Xia looked up from her pacing and nodded. "He's an alchemist, had connections to someone who could have taught him that circle, and is related to Barry the Chopper, a homicidal maniac." Xia listed off the facts rapidly.

"Anybody talk to the kid?" Kat asked, neatening the paper orderly and holding them to Xia. "No, we don't have search warrants yet," The smaller girl took the papers and placed them into her nap-sack again.

"….And who's 'Barry the Chopper' again?" Kat asked dully, causing Xia to fall over. "Is this Barry…Also known as Number 66?" Kat was totally serious, though her smile and laugh didn't give it away to Xia at all. "I don't know, maybe!" Xia chuckles nervously, thinking Kat was telling a Xingese joke or something. "I do know Barry killed almost 35 people…"

"Barry started out as a simple butcher living and working in Central City until he grew bored with merely cutting the flesh of pigs and cows and began to hunt peoples to satisfy his cravings. Central lived in terror for several years as the now infamous 'Barry the Chopper' went on a serial murdering spree that ultimately claimed the lives of…" Xia pause as Kat held up her hand lazily. "_Twenty-three_ people, starting with his wife, who must have been Mr. Willcocks' aunt." Kat said, smiling.

Xia nodded, and finished quickly. "Finally, this serial killer was caught and had a fairly well-publicized execution by hanging." Kat's smirked slowly.

"But he must have escaped…My father AND mother told me that long ago, they met." Kat left out 'And Dad said he was a kind, funny fellow.' And her mother's 'No, hun, he was a sick twisted killer!' And Dad's 'But he…helped me out of that jail! Whatever I did to GO to jail I can't remember.' He would say innocently. "Strange, what they say he looked like?" Xia asked, stretching and going over to wake Rachel. "Dunno, they said he'd NEVER take his armor off." Kat lied easily and smiled. 'After I got them drunk enough, they said he was just armor and a soul bonded to it. Ha, seriously. Parents, who knows…? '

"This Barry didn't have armor…Musta been a different guy," Xia said, kicking Rachel's side lightly. "Huh?" Rachel yawned and hopped up. "What's up?" She asked, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. "We're checking something, would you head to the hotel and wait for me?" Kat asked before Xia could say anything. "Yeah, sure. See you guys later," Rachel yawned and sleepily climbed down the ladder.

When the engine of the motor cycle died off, Xia placed her hips and faced Katsume. "Why did you send her off?" She asked, frowning. "Maybe Rainbow over there could have helped us!" She fumed sarcastically. "She doesn't do anything well tired like that." Kat said simply, remembering how she had almost crashed the wagon they rode late one night.

"Anyway, let's go. You have this kid's address?" Xia nodded and climbed down the ladder while Kat simply slide down a gutter pole and landed on her bike. "Took ya long enough~," Kat teased, stretching. "You _are_ a show off!" Xia growled as they rode to the address.

_**At the Willcocks Home**_

"Ugh, Matilda Willcocks! Come in here and eat," A tire-sounding voice yelled from the kitchen. A little girl, around 11 years old without legs and in a wheelchair, rolled into the room, looking at her big brother. "What are we having, Zacky?" Matilda asked, yawning.

"Poor man's pie, with peas," The boy called, dusting off his face and placing a hand on a shabby table. "Again, Zacky?" Matilda asked, though she looked pleased and happy. She rolled up to the table and began eating. "Thank chew Zacky!" She said with a full mouth, to which Zack smiled. "Enjoy," He chuckled, sitting down and getting himself a smaller plate and eating, less enthused than his sister.

_Knock, knock, knock-knock…  
Knock-knock!_

Matilda laughed at the silly knocking and bounced in her seat randomly. "It's Mommy!" She whispered, looking excitedly at the door and trying to roll over to it. "It's get it," Zack said darkly, pointing at Matilda. "Stay. Eat." He pointed at her plate. "I'll be back." Matilda smiled and nodded her head rapidly. Zack smiled softly back and walked to the door.

He hoped it wasn't like the last people who came to visit him this late at night; 'Those bastards with the police…They almost took Matilda; and made me blow myself up…Again.'

Opening it, he frowned to see two girls, one looking his age and the other looking…MUCH younger.

The older looking one had long red hair, gold-yellow eyes, she was up to Zack's chest/shoulder in height and, Zack blushed at he noted this, was _very well_…endowed, she also had a waist-length open yellow jacket with the white flame design on the wrists, black tight shirt and lastly her leather belt, which held an assortment of two guns that Zack could see that held up her white pants. And the cutlasses on her back…

'What the hell…?' Zack stared dully at the girl. She wasn't Amestrian, not with that hair! Her other friend was strange, black hair tied back in a loose ponytail, grey eyes, somewhat tan skin, wears a longish green long-sleeved sweatshirt, black shorts, and sandals. She was well formed, less than her supposedly older friend, but a looker none the less. She had a standard military pistol, so Zack guessed this wasn't a social call…

Kat stared at the boy in front of her, her expression not giving anything away to the tall, skinny, and somewhat pale, dark haired, green eyed young man.  
He was wearing a brown jacket, and it was very dusty and dirty, Kat saw a white shirt under it. Black oversized jeans with a brown belt to hold them up, black boots, and an old fashioned golf like cap. 'He smells like explosives, damn,' Kat thinks to herself, her face completely expressionless as she gazed at Zack. '_…Kuso, kare wa kakkoii __da!_'

Xia stepped forward, not noticing that Kat this dirty, dusty boy were staring at each other for a little too long. "Mr. Willcocks?" Xia says, seriously thinking of taking a bar of soap to this idiot, who doesn't look like he can even clean himself! "Yes, Miss…" Zack snapped out of his trance and looked at Xia.

"We have a few questions for you, Mr. Willcocks…" Xia glared at Zack venomously. "Would you mind stepping outside, please?" Kat asked quickly, spotting a little girl in the back ground. Zack nodded and tilted his head to the side. "Matilda, eat up. I'll be back in a second," He stepped out of the door, closed it and turned to the duo.

"Now, who are both of you?" Zack growled, stuffing his hands in his pockets and smoothly gripping his explosion Trans-circle gloves he bought years ago to help with his alchemy.

"I am Xia Huang, I work with the military," Xia bowed slightly, mockingly.

"My name is Katsume Yao," Kat said, crossing her arms and leaning against a streetlamp. "We wanted to ask you where you were around…" Xia looked at her notes. "7:00 in the morning to 3:00 this evening, and if you can verify it." Xia stated.

"I was working at the coal-factory around 8:30 this morning, and until 2:15 in the evening." He said, frowning. "Why? Something happen?"

"Nothing you need to know-"

"We found a few dead women sitting in a closet today, fresh, and it was done by a serial killer." Kat said, looking at Zack. "Where exactly is your work place?" Xia huffed.

"Just next to the hospital storage room." He said, looking at Kat's wrist-wrappings. "You look like you've been there, Ms. Yao." He smirked. "Almost as much as you, Mr. Willcocks," Kat closed her eyes and smirked as well.

"Anyway, that is near the crime scene…What were you doing before you went to work?" Xia growled and stepped forward, making Zack step back a little. "And how would you know where the storage room is?" Xia wasn't really asking, she _knew _Zack was the killer. She just knew it. "I was practicing my alchemy and I blow up a lot. So I kinda have to know where that stuff is. Like this morning," He laughed.

"And I have learned you are related to Barry the Chopper?"

Zack stopped laughing and glared at Xia hatefully. "Yes, he was my uncle." He said through gritted teeth.

Kat looked sad as was about to comfort him, until Zack started to hum and smile goofily. "Would either of you like something to eat~?" He chuckled, poking Xia's stomach quickly. Xia jumped back and put her hand on her pistol. "Sir?" She growled.

"Hehehe, so that's a no~?" He snickered playfully. Kat glanced back at Xia and waved her hand slowly so only Xia saw and mouthed 'Leave'. Xia nodded slightly and glared one last time at Zack. "I'll go check on the files…I guess," She huffed and stomped off.

"Sorry about that, Mr. Willcocks, my friend is short tempered." Kat smiled and bowed her head. "It's alright," He mumbled, still smiling goofily. "But I still have a few questions, sir," Kat smiled back and stood up fully. Zack nodded. "Wait, how old're you, 17. 18?"

"Heh, 14; A-anyway. Can your boss or supervisor verify your story?" She asked. "Mr. Luigi can tell you I was there today, and I crashed into a flower shop during my training." Zack nodded.

"Do you or anyone you know do drugs?" Zack's eyes widened. "No, ma'am! Though…Some of my…family has done drugs, and I hated them…Him for it," Zack looked pissed suddenly, frowning and clenching his fist. "Ah, I understand." Kat opened her eyes and placed her hand on Zack's arm reassuringly. "Thanks you your time, Mr. Willcocks-" She stopped, gasping softly.

As Zack smiled down at Kat, he noticed her pupils dilated into snake-like slits, and her face looked flushed pale. "Ms. Yao! Are you alright- ow, ow, ow!" He squinted as Kat's hand suddenly began to burn him a bit, and a circle flashed on the back of her hand.

"D-damnit…" And then she started shaking, almost convulsing, and dropped to the ground. "Heh…el; Help me, please," Kat gasped shaking so bad she couldn't grip the pole to even try and stand. "Wha? H-help! Someone, anyone, help! She's having some kind of seizure or something!" Zack yelled, pulling up Kat's hot and burning body to his shoulder.

"_So, you're Gree-Ling? HA!" A tall man in armor laughed, holding his belly and pointing a meat clever at the dark haired Xingese prince. "Nah, I'm just Greed, tin-can." He laughed, smirking and putting up his gray-shield skin up both arms. "And you must be Barry the Chopper~! HA!" Greed laughed striking at Barry and laughing cruelly as he heard a little boy scream from behind Barry._

"_MOM!" The little boy yelled. Greed laughed and pointed his sword at Barry. "You kill that baby's mommy? Sicko!" Greed smiled and looked at the dark haired, green eyes little twerp and laughed to himself. He was holding his mother's body and crying his heart out. _

"_Me? A sicko? Definitely, buddy!" Barry laughed as he lunged at Greed, who simply flung the tin-twit hurtling into a wall and away._

_Greed walked over to the kid and crouched so they were face to face. "He kill your mom?" He asked bluntly. The younger Zack sobbed and nodded his head. "You know alchemy?" He asked, to which Zack nodded. Out of almost nowhere, Greed handed Zack a small book. "You can read?" Zack sobbed, but nodded and wiped his nose. "Ye-yeah, w-why?" He asked, looking up at Greed. "Ok, there's a chapter in here…It'll tell you how to get you mommy back, kiddo." Greed smiled persuasively, kindly and pointed to the body._

"_You just need to give a little to get her back," He said as he helped the eager little boy make the transmutation circle after they dragged the body to the center. "What n-now, mister?" He asked, wiping his nose again. "What part of you would you give up to have your mommy back with you?" Greed asked randomly, looking around the house._

"_Anything!" Zack cried, pulling Greed's clothes. "Of you?" This time Zack hesitated. Then he pouted and mumbled "I'd give up some of my sister!" Greed smiled._

"_Why not?"  
"She's a baby." _

"…_Baby parts grow back~! Come on, just something, a little something…And mommy's back home…Come on, Zack Xavier Willcocks, bring mommy back," Greed whispered in Zack's ear, smiling when the boy slowly nodded and stepped forward._

…

_Next thing that happens, fire, burning flesh and screaming children exit the Gate and sat there dumbly, rotting away until the firemen and police arrived._

_All they found was little boy crying and holding his little sister, who's legs were hacked off and they both lay bleeding next to a burned corpse…_

"_Remember my face kid, I'm the devil on your shoulder tonight!" Greed's voice echoed in Zack's ears dimly._

Kat gasped and bolted up, hitting something. "Mm-ph!" A muffled voice grunted.

"Zack?" Kat tried to call, but her mouth was covered and full of something warm. Her eyes were covered; Kat realized this and quickly untied the blind to see ahead of her.

'Why is Zack so close to me?' Kat thinks numbly, her thoughts slowed and pained. Zack pulled back and Kat heard a wet _pop_ come from his lips. "K-K-Kat," Zack began, now blushing brightly. "Yes, Zack?" She blinked and looked around. "You, yo-you just…Ahem, Katsume, you just…You just kissed me, on the lips." Zack said, flustered. "Oh. Sorry." Kat landed heavily on the pillow as Zack pushed her down forcefully.

"Disregarding that," He blushed. "How do you know the name Greed?" He growled, still blushing. "Ba-ck up, or I'll kiss ya again," Kat warned, but was ignored. "HOW?" Zacked yelled, slamming Kat to her pillow and making her blush. She turned her head to the side and frowned. "I dunno!" She gasped as Zack growled and leaned his face close to Kat's.  
_"Answer me, damnit."_

Kat blushed as his hot breath beat against her ear. She gulped and whimpered. "I have nightmare that I barely remember about a man named Greed! And he does terrible things…H-he…I had a dream…Th-that he tricked you…I remember it, oh god…I-I wish…I wish I hadn't, damnit!" Kat coughed, her eyes watering as she struggled under Zack's strength and her exhaustion.

"…Seriously?" He panted. Kat closed her eyes tightly and nodded, hiccupping slightly. "I-it was…So horrible…" She choked out, trying to control her breathing again and get a good breath of air. "You…Really saw…" Zack whispered, unknowingly leaning in more.

Zack grabbed Kat's shoulders and hauled her up to his lips again. "H-huh?" Kat stuttered, blushing and using her left hand to hold herself up and unknowingly clinging onto Zack with the other hand.

Zack, surprising himself, kissed Kat forcefully and didn't blush and he climbed higher on the bed to balance over Katsume and he began licking her lips and exploring her mouth as she gasped and stuttered.

Finally Zack pulled back and jumped off Kat, smiling ear to ear as he hugged Kat tightly.

"I'm not crazy, he was there…That monster was really there…"


	9. OC Character Theme Songs, 2!

_**FMA OC Story Character Battle Themes**_

New OC's added! Here are the newbie's Themes!

Katsume: 'Fairy Tale,' Next Generation.

Rachel: 'Sunshine, lollipops and rainbows'. Lesley Gore.

Shane: 'Defying Gravity'. _Wicked_.

Tomoyo: 'Naoto's Theme,' Persona 4 OST.

Xia: 'Kick in the Teeth,' Papa Roach.

Zack: 'Never Too Late' Three Days Grace

Nightlock Duo Theme: 'Anything you can do, I can do better'.

Tomoyo's Hit the Mark: '21 Guns' Gun's and Roses,

Blood Lust Katsume: 'Kill you' Eminem.

Xia Violence: 'Invincible,' Adelitas Way.

Z. Xavier Explosion: 'Last Resort' Papa Roach  
_

Rachel and Shane Team Attack: 'Sakura (Cherry Blossom)'.

Tomoyo Smile: 'Geisha Dream'.

Slaughterer Katsume: 'Butterfly. Delaction Remix. Hime Trance'. SMiLE .dk

Huang Happiness: 'Louder Than Words,' Celldweller.

Willcocks' Whiplash: 'You Don't Know' Reel Big Fish

Remember, loyal readers, Fullmetal Dreamer is a OC welcome story, I encourage you all to send me your OC forms! I need more males, older females, and even some villains!

Also, as for villains, I need new Homunculus, ladies and Gentlemen…Here's the Homunculus OC forum;

Name (the one they use for fitting in):

What Sin are They:

Specialty (power):

Gender (can be 'in-between' like everyone things Envy is):

Status (what are they doing in life? Must be relevant to story,):

History (how they were created):

And that's our Homunculus OC form! I only need the following spaces to fill in;

-Envy

-Lust (maybe)

-Wrath

-Sloth

-Gluttony (maybe)

Pride and Greed are the only two we don't need.

And just to set the record straight, FMD (this story) is set YEARS after FMA (the original). So please, send OC who are a little older if you can, and if you want them to be coupled with some of the original cast!

Thanks again. And I hope all who sent their OCs in, big thanks to you as well! Enjoy, and _Namaste_.


	10. Just a few more 'little problems'

"_I'm not crazy, he was there…That monster was really there…"_

Kat was blushing as she stared at Zack. "Why di-did you just kiss me?" Her voice squeaked at the end. "I-I was thanking you, sorry," He realized what he'd done and blushed as well. Kat looked around suddenly, leaning forward. "You hear that too?"

Zack shook his head, no. 'What's she talking about…?' "You don't here _that_?" Kat looked agitated as she sat up again. "What?" He asked, looking around. "Crickets chirping the word _'ak-ward!'_"

Zack face-palmed and looked back at Kat. "Huh!" His eyes widened as he looked around the room franticly. "Katsume, where are you?" He called out, finally staring hard at the now empty bed. 'How'd she get out so fast!' He asks himself.

"Zacky! There's breakfast!" Matilda called from downstairs, shaking Zack out of his thoughts and making him panic. "Matilda! Did you try to cook poor man's pie?" He yelled as he ran down the wooden stairs. "No, Zacky! Ms. Yao did!" His little sister called, making Zack pale beyond belief.

"How…" He trailed off as he jumped into the kitchen. "When?" He looked at Kat. "I saw you had flour, I found milk and then a little bit of grease to make a bit of rue and merely piled together on a potato, then heated it all." Kat smiled and pointed to the creation. "WHEN?" Zack was confused; no WAY could Kat have cooked that in such a short time!

"Just now," She smiled and danced around his question skillfully. "It's really tasty, Zacky!" Matilda cheered. Kat smiled and handed him a full plate. It was meat-gravy on top of a baked potato. With butter and herbs.

"WHAT!" Zack yelled, and was cut off when Kat stuffed a bite into his mouth. He was shocked at how good it tasted. "Were you a cook before you came to this country?" Matilda giggled while Kat smiled smugly. "Not exactly," Kat smirked. "I…" Kat's eyes flashed for a second before she smiled cutely and pressed her eyes closed tightly. "Honestly I used alchemy to combine the ingredients." Kat said quickly. "Yeah! And she made it look really tasty too, didn't she?" Matilda said, giving Kat a sideways glance.

"It was the least I could do," Kat smiled brighter. "After all, I did cause such a scene." Kat chuckled and shook her head. "How did you do that so fast though?" Zack asked, taking the plate into his hands and starting to eat. "Ha. Well, my family back east are prided on speed," Kat said nervously. "Really? Interesting," Zack chuckled.

Kat stood quickly and smiled at Matilda kindly, closing her left eye and smirked. "I hope we meet again someday, Ms. Matilda," Kat bowed and kissed the little girl's forehead. "You're leaving?" Zack's smile faltered. "Aye, I have to get back to the hotel," She slowly, curiously, took Zack's hand and shook it gently. "Hah, alright. Maybe we'll meet again someday, Mr. Willcocks," Kat quickly turned away and walked out the door. "Thanks for everything, Princess!" Matilda called, then set to eating more of the food.

"Matilda, Ms. Yao isn't a 'princess'. Just a _really_ good alchemist," Zack looked at Matilda curiously. "Huh? Ms. Yao is from Zing, and she's the oldest princess!" Matilda giggled at her brother's confusion. "…Do you mean 'Xing'?" Zack asked, blinking blankly. Matilda nodded and stuffed her face.

…****

…

"SO I KISSED A PRINCESS!" Kat heard Zack scream, no doubt blushing. She jumped on her motorcycle and smiled, sighing in relief. 'Maybe next time I see Mr. Willcocks I'll have to tease him about it,' Kat giggles at the thought and rides off.

_**At central Office**_

"Damn that red-haired motherfucking bastard! How dare her!" Tomoyo angrily raves after getting a new set of clothes which are similar to the clothes he was wearing before. 'Next time I see her face, she'll wish she was never born!'

"Oh, hey sir, Thunder Detective Prince!" Greets a familiar voice. Tomoyo turned around to see Luke Grant in his short sleeved military jacket, the black shirt on the inside, standard black shoes, semi-tight black pants, his strange yet attractive spiky green hair and warm black eyes to be leaning against a wall with his arms crossed and smirking at Tomoyo.

"Yes, good afternoon, Mr. Grants," Tomoyo lowering his cap down in greeting and keeping it there.

"What's wrong? Having a bad day or something~?" Luke teases as he starts walking up towards his superior.

"Y-yes, as a matter of fact, yes, I am!" Tomoyo stuttered, ramming into his own words nervously. Truth be told, he was actually blushing.

"You don't seem angry to me."

"I hide my emotions a lot, Mr. Grants!"

"Oh? Then why are you stumbling when you're supposed to be mad? Huh….  
_Lil Tomoyo_?" Luke grabbed Tomoyo's cap and lifted it up in the air, making Tomoyo unable to reach it, and he started ruffling the mini detective's hair.  
The nickname, Lil Tomoyo as well as Luke ruffling his hair made Tomoyo's face redder.

"Mr. Grants! Y-you do not speak to your superior like that! E-especially that ridiculous name! I'm way smarter than you!"

"Oh, yeah? Well I'm way older than you! _And_ taller than you," It was a fact Luke was about 3 inches taller than Tomoyo.

"D-does that even matter right now, Mr. Grants?"

"Of course it does! I beat you into whose better!"

"T-that doesn't make any sense! Ack! I-I'm leaving! A-attend to your work, Mr. Grants!"

After Tomoyo left with a flustered face, lieutenants Fury, Havoc, Breda, and Falman were secretly spying on the two boys.

Fury giggled, "Chief really is cute when he acts like this."

"Yeah," agreed Havoc. "Sometimes, I wonder what he'd if he was a girl~,"

_**Kat's hotel room**_

Kat returned to the hotel, and was instantly beaten half to death by Rachel and the surprise guest Shane when she arrived in the door.

"WHERE WERE YOU!"

_**-BAM! **_Rachel began wailing on Kat's head and body.

"HUANG SAID YOU STAYED BEHIND TO TALK WITH THE SUSPECT!"

_**-SLAM!**_ Shane slammed Kat in the back of the head before sitting down.

"WE THOUGHT YOU DIED!" Both Nightlock siblings slammed forks from dinner down, but they flipped out of hand and landed on Kat.

…_**SHHHANK!**_

"OW MY LEG! THAT HURT!" Kat cried falling backwards and landed both her and Rachel, who hadn't let go of the Xingese Princess, onto a floor table and nearly smashing it in the process. "What happened!" Rachel asked, sitting on Kat's stomach and pining her down. "Geez, did I worry you both that much?" Kat wheezed, almost unable to breath beneath her brunette friend. "Yes, Katsume, you did…Xia isn't the nicest person I know, but when she told us you were left alone with that murderer suspect, she wasn't sarcastic or anything, and god you had us so worried I call Shane and told him to get here! SHANE!" Rachel facepalmed Kat and muttered 'You needed a V8,' Under her breath.

"Ow. I'm sorry, it's just…" Kat sighed and closed her eyes. Then she remained silent, ignoring Rachel and Shane's stares. The reason for Kat's sudden clam-up was…She hadn't really told Rachel, Shane or even Xia about her secret; the dreams, the nightmares, the forgotten practices she dreamed off. She never told anyone, not that she remembers. She only told what's his name…is, ah, Zack because he scared her into it.

But Kat does know that she's had those dreams since birth.


	11. Pink Berries, or Red Berries?

_But Kat does know that she's had those dreams since birth.  
__

"When I was leaving the Willcocks's I had…A vision, of sorts," Kat slowly began, keeping her eyes closed as she eventually told the duo about everything, softly and reluctantly.

_**Miles underground, Later that night…**_

Deep underground, in the cold earthy-smelling tunnels, old and unused by all except rats, a spark ignites, the shape of a man is seen. "_Parere Patrem omnipotentem dominum deum in terra et servite qua rogo et te rogo ut ignoscas, mi. A humana puer habet videre in hostias sacrificii tui, ego puella cum sanguine fluentem…Domine mi, quid faciam hoc tumultu res?_" A voice bellows in near song, a prayer to something;  
His divine master.

The man stays unmoved, listening and waiting as if for reply. "_Dominus?_"

"_**Sociorumque eam hic ostendit eam me et nemo illi…**_"A voice unseen echoes from above, hissing and vile sounding. "Yes, my lord;" The man's voice sounding sickened, his frown visible as his distaste. He stood, turning to leave when a blade was aimed at his throat; an expected blade.

"Do you dare speak if Him like that? Do you disagree, hmm?" A slender woman hisses, frowning pointedly. "N-no, I do not. I owe Him my life," The man is suddenly on his knees, groveling. "No, such rot you have spawn…You deserve to DIE!" The woman lunges, roaring and lopping off the man's head.

"HA! Now he can never defile our great Lord's name ever again with his foolishness! All rejoice, the bloody big wig is dead! The killer of the Kindred Women, slain by my hand! …Hm…Muahahahah!" The woman laughed loudly, her voice bouncing off the walls. "And we shall rule again! Hehe, Hahahahhaa!" She clutched her sides, laughing to hard. The man's head was bleeding profusely, his body lifeless and the signs of him ever having had been living were totally, utterly-

-Still there. "That bloody hurt, Sadist-Chan," He growls, frowning. "You weren't supposed to really cut my head all off! This is just playing, remember?" He whines, tearing up playfully. "Oh, sorry!" She frowns, coughing slightly. "I got a little carried away, playing Tempest-Kun's companion," She laughed, referring to the murderer of all the women lately.

"Yeah, he's crazy. But really, seriously tall- Damn giant," The man yawned, picking up his head and trying to sew it back on his neck. "Here, let me help you~!" A new voice cooed, laughing loudly. "Ah! I don't want your help, Tempest!" He yelled, jumping up and running off, carrying his head under his arm. "Well, speak of the devil," Sadist chuckled.

"Aw, come on! Let bog brother help you, heheh! Come here, Envy!" The older of the immortals ran after him. "Aww, you two keep playing. I have to head back to my shop, boys. If I see that red-girl Killer-san mentioned before, I'll call." She laughed, waving before heading towards the exit. "Bye, Sloth!" The brothers chorused before turning to fight again.

With Kat, the next day…

After Kat had practically told Shane and Rachel her life story, she had another dream…This one mentioned the current events. It wasn't abnormal for someone to dream about things present when under stress, and Kat did have a fairly stressed mind, so she stuffed her dream to the back if her mind and buried it under other thoughts.

Walking out to the living room, she was greeted by the Nightlock duo and company. "Hey! Good morning, sleepy head!" Rachel teased from her seat, patting the empty spot next to her. Kat smiled and plopped down to her friends. "So, may I as who you are, ma'am?" Kat chuckled at the woman across from her. "No need for formality, Ms. Armstrong," Kat drawled, snatching Rachel's coffee. "I've meet your younger brother, Alex?" Kat sipped from the mug, smirking at Olivier's expression.

"How?" She growled, not in the mood for short quips. "Ah, you both visited Amestris a few years back, correct? You're met my parents," Kat chuckled, holding out her hand to the shocked military woman. "Yes…Ms. Yao?" When Kat suddenly flinched, Olivier thought she offended the poor girl. When Kat coughed out, "That makes me sound old…", the entire room sighed at the Xingese girl's strange habits. "Anyone wanna vote on if I should change my name?" Kat jokes, smiling and sipping coffee.

"No is not the time for jokes, Ms. Katsume." Olivier reprimands. "Ah? The what is your visit about?" Kat's eyebrow raises, and Shane glares at the red-head instantly. "Kat, I forgot to mention…Olivier here is my beloved," At Kat's blank look, Shane rolls his eyes and leans forward slightly to let his lips graze Olivier's. "Shane," She blushed, frowning before he could mentally molest the girl with their exploits. "Stay on track,"

"Umm…" Kat blinks slowly, turning to Rachel. "How old is Shane?" She asks, frowning comically. "Older than dirt," She states, taking the mug from Kat's hands and sipping it herself. "But still younger than Medusa," Both girls nod sagely, staring at the couple. "Only just fits," Kat blinks, yawning and flopping backwards on the seat, gold eyes landing on a small map. "…What's that, Nightlock?" Kat asks, pointing dully at the paper. Rachel squee-ed and ran to grab the paper before running back and excitedly flopping on the chair, almost crushing Kat.

"Oi! Watch it, you'll squish me!" The younger one wheezed. "'_Kindly Cabin Resort, vacation sight for all ages!_'" Rachel reads aloud in a sing-song voice. "What the hell are you talking about-" Kat stood, beginning to protest before Rachel stuffed at sock in her mouth. "'_Sweets galore, you will enjoy our multi-cultured forest based home in Little Xerxes! We guarantee you will enjoy your stay, as long as you don't eat the pink berries!_'" Rachel finished, laughing as she saw Kat glaring at her. "Very nice," She growled, spitting the sock at Rachel and wiping her tongue on a red clothe.

"What does that have to do with us?" She asked moodily. "Well, since all this stuff with you and those…_seizures_ you've been having, we thought you could use some time off." Shane said, chuckling slowly. Kat frowned, coughing under her breath. "I hardly had any time on!" She protested, shaking her head. "All of you- you can go, but I am staying here! You won't make me go!"

…

"I can't believe you made me go," Kat growled, dropping a bag on the floor next to an old bed, glaring at Rachel. "Yeah, I can. Ms. Olivier can be very convincing, can't she?" Kat nodded quickly, frowning and shuddering. 'And as friendly as a damn bear,' She thinks, recalling how the blonde snow-leader had warned Kat that '_If you made my Shane come all the way here to listen to you whine while we both bought these damn tickets, I swear you won't make have to worry about seizures anymore, kiddo._' Kat shuddered again.

"So, why didn't that ol' Snow Bear come with us?" Kat drawled, smiling slightly. "Oh, she and Shane had…other plans." Rachel mumbled, waist deep in old clothes, and throwing some near Kat. "Like what?" Kat asked, spotting the fridge and diving for a peach. "Are they really dating? Or was that an act?" She asked before biting into the skin of the peach. "No, they aren't dating," Rachel paused, pulling out a pair of hiking boots and comparing them to another pair before grabbing a black pair and tossing them on a different pile. "…They're engaged," She murmured slowly, now eying the lighter pair in her left hand.

Kat choked, flailing and searching for a tissue to catch the chunks of peach that she felt starting to go up her nose. "WHAT!? SERIOUSLY?" She gagged. "Hey, Olivier is a nice woman, and Shane really likes her; you get the dark pair," She added. "No, I mean- _ack_! Why'd you tell me that when my moth was full?" Kat growled, coughing into a napkin. "Sorry~," The smaller woman laughed, smiling again and tossing the boots at Kat.

"Where are we going now? We just got here! I want food, and sleep." Kat growled lowly, frowning at Rachel. "A hike, and for once, you aren't getting…To wear that outfit! What if it gets dirty?" Rachel U-turned the comment around before she said something to provoke a Kat-attack.

"What? _Why_?" Kat began sounding whiney, pouting and glaring at the black boots hatefully. "Hike- Now. Exercise. Fun or die," Rachel suddenly loomed over the Xingese princess. "Understood?" She hissed, flaming at Kat. "Sadly, yes. I understand," Kat said, mocking Rachel's voice by mimicking it. In retaliation, Rachel slapped the back of Kat's head, smirking as she did so. "Get dressed," She ordered, laughing as Kat glared at her. "_…Fine,_" The red-head hissed, sticking her tongue out at Rachel as she moodily walked off to the bathroom to change into the 'uniform' Rachel gave her.

Kat's POV…

I grumpily grab the mess of clothes Nightlock had tossed near me and stomped to the bathroom, snapping the door shut and locking it. "Hmph," I growl, tossing the clothes at the floor before slowly lifting up my own shirt. I observed myself in the mirror, watching as the fabric lifted more and revealed small faintest of scars littering my torso and upper arms.

As I tossed the shirt to my feet, I lean back and striped off my white pants and bandages around my legs and arms. Staring at myself in nothing but my undergarments, I sigh, noting how my hair was slightly spiked from the trip. I glance at the door, screaming "FUCK LITTLE XERXES!" at the top of my lungs, and rather deeply, snickering when I hear Rachel jump and fall on something.  
"STOP SCREAMING LIKE THAT!" is Rachel's muffled retort.

I snicker again, leaning down and pulling on black jean-pants. 'Strong material, I admit,' I think, liking style and vowing to never tell Rachel I enjoy it. Then I button up the white-blouse shirt and smirk at the long, flowing sleeves- before ripping them off, that it. I tie the ends at my elbows and fix them there with small black bands. I strap on the black- or really dark brown- boots and yank the black vest over my skirt and button it halfway before pulling my hair into a right sided-ponytail and leaving my bangs to cover my left eye, smirking at my refection.

"…I am sexy, and I _know_ it," I hummed, feeling vaguely as if a million fan-boys just squee-ed at me. 'Heh, fan-boys of the opera,' I snicker, turning around and walking out while pulling on my regular jacket.

"Rachel! Would you hand me my swords-" Rachel threw a radio at my head, barely missing my face as I ducked down.  
"_**NO JACKET!**_" She howled, eyes flaming. "Ok! Sorry!" I ducked behind the door, taking off my beloved jacket and tossing it on my bed. "_There!_" I frowned, grabbing a brown jacket with a lot of pockets and pulling it on. "But I _AM_ wearing this, Nightlock," I growl, pulling up the collar moodily. "Ok, ok- It's just that your other jacket didn't go with that outfit…" She stared at me intently before giggling. "What? Something on my face?" I ask, rubbing my cheeks. "No, nothing…Madame Butler," She bowed mockingly. "_Hmph_," I glare at her, frown turning into a wicked smirk.

"First I'm a princess in Xing, then I'm an adventurer on the road here, when we got here I believe I became somewhat of a fugitive. And now, a BUTLER. Wonderful, don't you just agree?" I list off, chuckling as Rachel walked quicker to the door. "Would you like some cheese with that whine?" She asked, and then looked up. "I think I just took your last job; Ok, you're a bum now." She laughed, smirking at me. "That's not _gouda_. And the butler jibe, that's _nacho_ job either," I retorted, smiling when I heard her drop to the floor outside.

"HAHAAHHA!" She was flailing on the ground, laughing her ass off. "CHEESY JOKES!" She laughed, tearing up. "Now, it may seem as if we had _too much_ wine…I wish," I sighed, helping her up and chuckling. "Let's go, before one of us cracks another cheese joke," I warn, picking the map out of her back pocket.

"Where we going?" I look at the map curiously. "The Water Bush, a little outside the ruins of Xerxes, Kat," I was confused. "I thought we were at Little Xerxes, Rach…?" I tilted my head to the side, blinking. "Little Xerxes is a small resort a few miles away from the ruins of old Xerxes, were for some reason, all the population died or disappeared. Strange, hmm?" She asked, her eyes going slightly foggy and nostalgic.

"Hmm?" I raised my eyebrow curiously. "You seem to know a lot about things concerning Xerxes, yeah," I chuckle, heading the map to her and gesturing to her to lead the way. Rachel nodded, and walked ahead into the vine-y undergrowth. "Ooh. Vines…Fun," I deadpan, nearly tripping on one of the evil green…Tube-like…Things. I inwardly face palm and trot to catch up with Rachel.

I glanced back at the wooden cabin and smirked. The old wood, though different to what I was used to, still gave off a homey vibe that made me want to smile, actually smile. The logs piled neatly next to the side of the cabin, already chopped by unknown inhabitants before us. I liked the way the tall trees smelled, all fresh and crisp. Again unlike the trees of Xing, which were usually over-grown duo to Mom's obsession with 'practice and fun' all in one. I chuckled as I ran to catch Rachel, smiling at my memories.

Third Person POV…

As Kat and Rachel slowly trekked to the outskirts of the long ruined Xerxes, Kat again began to think about her life, all the things that happened since she arrived at Central- in Amestris. 'Not anything to write home about, right Kitty?' She chuckles, looking around excitedly as Rachel was pointing out native plant and animals. "Hey, do you know what these native wildlife and plants are called scientifically?" Rachel quizzed, smirking at the Xingese royal. "Animals are called Fauna and the plant life are called…Flora? Right?" Kat closed her eyes slightly, wondering. "'Think so." Rachel chuckled.

"Where did you get that habit of quizzing people like you do?" Kat suddenly asked, tilting her head to the side. "An old neighbor of Shane and mine liked to ask questions," Rachel calmed up slightly, and upon seeing Kat's curious gaze reluctantly explained.

"Mine and Shane's old friend, Lilah Nash, lived next door to us when we were young- her and her younger sister Olivia Nash. Lilah loved to learn about flowers and helping people, so she also liked to ask a lot of questions."

"What happened to her?" Kat asked, a small frown gracing her feline-like face. "Hmm? Why do you ask?" Rachel snapped softly, glaring halfheartedly at the red-head. "You spirit dropped, when you mentioned her. Also, you spoke as if she were gone, using past-tense instead of present-tense like one would if other was off visiting," Kat softly and coldly said. "You spoke as if she was-"  
"Dead?! I spoke as if she was dead, right? Is that what you were going to say, Yao? Huh? Well, yes- Lilah was killed in a house fire and her sister when insane afterwards. _Because her older sister died_," Rachel hissed, glaring down at Kat.

"…Ah," Kat murmured, slowing down so she was behind Rachel. "I see, my pardons for being so…_Prude_~," Rachel heard her say pleasantly. Rachel huffed, stomping ahead slow enough for Kat to still be heard. "Oi, Nightlock. I'll explore this way, see you back at the cabin, alright?" Was it just Rachel, or did Kat sound different. She quickly turned around to face Kat, but all she saw was a flash of red jump into the bushes and hop into the trees, vanishing in seconds. Rachel flinched as she felt a small drop of rain hit her cheek… -

-though it wasn't raining in the least. It was a very sunny day.

_**Later in the afternoon…**_

'How have I changed so much in such little time!?' Kat wondered as she popped around the forest-like landscape. She mentally berated herself for feeling so insulted by Rachel's word, and worse for not having the sense to see that the damn woman was already moody as soon as Kat started asking questions!

What fool couldn't see that Rachel was agitated? Kat, that's who! She growled inwardly.  
"Curiosity killed that cat, eh?" She groaned aloud, stopping in a nearby meadow. After she had run off, she somehow willed herself now to cry before Rachel, years of training had help with that when her parents had left for long times or fought because of her. 'All those times…' Kat bowed her head slowly, before shaking herself to rid away the fouler thoughts.

She walked in silence for a while, willing she shivers away and the tears that burned her eyes to dissipate. When she felt well enough, she hummed a few small songs. Then, when she got bored with that, she whistled lowly as she walked, pretending she was playing a violin or other instrument with her lips as she did her best to mimic ones she preferred. Kat felt she wasn't too shabby, and giggled lowly at the thought.

But slowly, nervously, Kat checked for other people to be around. 'Nope- all clear. Absolutely alone,' Kat was comforted by the thought. Hurt doesn't last, and loneliness was her way off healing it off.

So, Kat began to sing, lowly at first, and then she grew louder, her voice still soft and child-like in a vulnerable sense.

"…_Far away, in a far-off land…lives a child who loves to sing. She opens up her fragile heart, and her song. It takes wing…_

_She sings la, lalalalalallalalalalala, la, la, lah, lah, lah…_

_On the grass, the cool green grass that was hers since she could run  
She lies with hair open like a fan in the warmth of the summer sun…_"  
Kat glanced around, thinking she heard someone, and when nothing appeared, she continued.

"_She sings la, lalalalalallalalalalala, la, la, lah, lah, lah…_

_She lies with hair open like a fan…She lies with hair open like a fan…_"  
Kat spotted a small, jade green snake on a tree, its head bobbing slowly to the music and slithering over to the stump where Kat had sat down. Kat smiled slowly, beginning to sing again felt nice.

"…_She cries for light when the day is done, she fears what night may bring.  
…She cries for those who have never loved…And for those who never sing…_"  
The snake had then appeared next to her, gazing at her with strange-unblinking eyes. Kat chuckled softly, flicking her tongue at the serpent. It looked surprise, if a snake can, and hissed lowly at her. Kat grinned, and hissed back. The snake rose up; challenging Kat to blink at if stared at its purple-reddish eyes.

"I hope you should know, my dear snake, that I am a master of stare. You've been warned," She laughed when she thought the snake nodded and still stared at her, waving back and forth. "Alright, your eyes," She chuckled, opening her eyes and leaning down to meet the not-so-small-snake's gaze (upon closer investigation, she saw it wasn't a very small snake. In fact it was anything but small).

They stayed like this for a very long while, Kat not being able to tell who was willing and the snake ready to bite her nose to see if she would blink then, when suddenly…

_**Gggurrrgle**_…

Both creatures looked around, wondering what animal could even make that terrifying noise, until the snake stared at Kat and frowned (if a snake can frown, that is) at her middle. Its tongue flashed out and it hissed, Kat blushing as she shook again. "Oops," She stuttered, inhaling a deep breath. "I forgot to eat more," She laughed, looking for berries of something. Maybe she could catch some fish and roast them…

-(_**A/N: …Our heroin, having almost ate the**____**cabin out of business, and now hungry again. So much like Ling; where's a small naive blonde boy with a metal arm to scam out of a meal when we need one!?**_)-

_**Few minutes later…**_

"…So, do you know anywhere I can eat?" _-Hiss.-_ "Guess not, huh?" _Drip. Drip. Drip._

"Stupid…Smelly…Giant…Fat…" Kat grumbled, ringing out her hair again and shaking her head wildly. "-…Bear." She finished, glaring at the river she was near. "Had to go and push me in the damn cold water," She growled, jumping from the small wannabe fire to a sunning rock that snake was basking on.

While Kat had been searching for berries, or roots, or anything, she stumbled upon the river. It had a few smaller fish, which that snake got and offered to her before gulping it down whenever she declined. And when Kat finally got a larger fish, and fat too, she used her longer nails to pull out its throat as soon as she had gotten balance on the big fallen log-

-a big black bear smelled her catch and decided to visit Kat on the log; and instead of mauling her and sparing her the humiliation of what happened next, like a regular bear, this one had grabbed the fish from under Kat, were she had pulled its throat out, and nosed her into the cold river.

'Damn thing sounded like it was laughing, too.' She frowned. "I blame Olivier, that Snow Bear of a woman,"

**Central, Calming Coffee shop- small time…**

Shane and Olivier were sitting together, having lunch and talking, smiling plenty, when Olivier offhandedly mention the image of Rachel and Kat being attacked by a bear on their 'camping trip' or something silly like that, when the blonde military woman sneezed loudly.

"Oh, pardon me," she sniffed, wiping her nose on the napkin. "That was unexpected." She muttered, looking around. "Someone's talking about you, Liv-yay," Shane chuckled, sipping his coffee and smiling. "Hm. Maybe," She looked up, blinking.

"I'll have to kill them," She stated as an afterthought, smirking inwardly when Shane nearly choked on his coffee.

**Back in the forest, same time…**

"Man- er…Snake," Kat sighed, rubbing her empty stomach. "I'm really hungry." And that was about the 1000th time she said that.

She glanced at the snake, pouting. "Why didn't you warn my about that bear, by the way? Hmm? Sore at me…for beating you at a staring contest?" She jeered, smirking when the snake hissed lowly at her, flicking its tongue at her. "Ha," She smiled, reaching over and slowly rubbing the snake's neck with one knuckle.

"So tame, for such a wild beast," She yawned, pulling her hand back and stretching. "Oh?" She opened one eye when the snake curled up around her leg and onto her torso. "Gonna bite me?" Kat mused, eying the serpent. She laughed when it rubbed its head against her palm, licking her fingertips lightly.

"Hope not, I'd have to chop off your head, lovely," Kat laughed, smiling as she walked down to a fallen log- stopping when she smelled something…Something sweet.

'Red Berries…?' Kat wondered, looking around quickly. Red Berries were Xingese delicacies that looked like bright red bloody raspberries, only much, much sweeter every time. Not to mention, they were one of Katsume's favorite foods to snack on. "Sweet!" Kat cheered, plucking one and examining it. 'Wonder how a Xingese treat got here in Amestris…' She briefly asked herself before shrugging it off and popping the delicious berry into her mouth. "Yummy~!" She closed her eyes and cheered, smiling as the taste bit into her tongue. "I haven't haad you in a whiiillle, beloved berry~," Kat giggled, eating more and picking up a few branches to bring back for the walk. She remarked silently on how lucky she was, after Rachel's and hers incident, that Kat had found a very tasty comfort-food.

Half an hour later…

The snake stared at Kat as she weaved from side to side, looking greener than a human normally should. She was coughing and gagging in a bush after that bloody double-vision and spinning stopped and she could move somewhat straight. "Ohm, G-god…I can't bre-breathe," She wheezed, now guessing what she thought were Red Berries weren't Red Berries. She also chanced to guess they were somewhat poisonous. Just 'somewhat.'

The snake slithered away from the pool of vomit that Kat was creating by the unfortunate bush and behind her, where she was hunched over a different stump to keep from falling face-first into the gag. "And here- _gah_- I thought I was- _coff, coff_- lucky!" She coughed, using a clump of tall green to try and wipe off the red from her mouth. She gave up all attempts to talk and reserved herself to think instead, sullenly. She couldn't now anyway, the gagging was becoming more frequent.

'Yeah, I'm sure lucky. First I get my arm scarred, then my dreams/visions get so bad that they happen while I'm awake, after that I get sent to the hospital and now I eat poison berries. What a dumbass I am,' Kat inwardly deadpanned, frowning. 'And I don't know how long I'll be puking my guts out, either. Do I?' She sneered, reopening her eyes and coughing harshly and suddenly. "Oh, no," She gagged, tasting blood and berries mix together.

Kat had started puking blood, as far as she could tell. The taste of iron suddenly appeared in the barrage of 'tastes' she was currently experiencing. She was coughing violently now, her eyes tearing up and her insides feeling like they were on fire and freezing over at the same time. "Oh, god, someone-anyone…_Please make it stop_!" She wheezed as loud as she could when the gagging momentarily stopped. 'Can anyone die from puking blood out? …Stupid, yes they can.' She was coughing too loud and violently, her body going into spasms and her skin paling and sticky from exertion.  
Kat suddenly realized with a cold shock that she could actually die. Here and now, from a stupid mistake.

She closed her wet eyes tightly and prayed to whatever god was listening that someone helped her out of this, and wished Rachel was there to help her…'But we're alone, aren't we, Katsume?' The red-headed royal shuddered. 'All alone.'  
She was falling slowly into a deep depression, her eyes- were they opened- were dark and blank.

…

…

…

It felt like hours passed, and Kat was unconscious and the gagging had stopped long ago, but she was still losing plenty of blood from her mouth. It steadily dripped out, like the sands of time both were running out for Katsume. She slowly managed to pull together a coherent thought before closing her eyes peacefully.

'Well…I doubt this time I'll get out alive. Bye-bye, lovely,'


	12. Lucky little Kitty

'_Well…I doubt this time I'll get out alive. Bye-bye, lovely,'  
__

**Central Offices…**

"Detective Yamagishi, why do you look so shell-shocked?" Luke Grants chuckled, arriving late for work again and expecting a berating from the little chief. "Nothing, Mr. Grants…Just…I feel like something bad has just happened," Tomoyo shook his head, frowning. "And it chilled me," He muttered, glancing up at Luke and blushing slightly. "Are you ok, Little Tomoyo?" Luke asked, leaning up against the smaller-officer's desk and pretending not to notice Tomoyo's blush deepen.

"…Yea-yeah, Luke. I'm f-f-fine," This time, it was Luke's turn to blush. "Chief, that was…The first time you said my name…" He smiled, chuckling. "I like it…Tomoyo," Luke chuckled, walking out quickly. "Hope you feel better soon, chief."

Tomoyo was feeling fine, merely blushing deeply and closing his eyes. 'If only he knew…How many times I've said his name…' Tomoyo blushed again and set to work once more, shaking off his feelings.

Xingese Palace, same time…

"M'Lord- do you feel that?" Lan Fan asked seriously. "Do you think Katsume's alright?" Was Lan Fan's immediate question after.

"I don't know, Lan Fan," Ling said, sitting up in bed and frowning. "I feel…Like she's in a little over her head," He looked to his wife and paled. "Do you think she got involved with the Homun-?"

"Don't even say that, my Lord!" She yelled, covering her ears quickly. "I can't stand the thought of our little girl getting caught up in _that_…Like we were," Lan Fan almost started to cry, but Ling pulled her into his lap and rubbed her back caringly. "Katsu's a strong little nut, and smart too. We need to keep hope up, Lan Fan." Ling chastely kissed Lan Fan and hugged her into him. "Oh, Ling," Lan Fan hiccupped. "I hope we can help her somehow," Ling gently rubbed her back again, lovingly. "…I think we can," Ling closed his eyes, pressing his lips to his beloved's forehead and murmuring words of comfort until she fell asleep.

In Little Xerxses…

A tall man was walking around, searching for small twigs to start a fire with, when he saw a large green snake. "Oh, hello," He drawled, not stopping to look twice at the snake as he continued picking up kindling. It hissed loudly at him, rearing up so it was taller and it bore it's fangs at the man. "Whoa! Cool off," He drawled, pulling hands up and getting ready to flee from the serpent. To his surprise, the snake flicked its head to a nearby bush and hissed louder, flicking its tongue at the man again. "What?" He drawled again, looking around and sniffing the air quickly. "Oh- god! Did something die!?" He gagged, looking around and covering his nose.

The snake hissed louder and flicked its head at the bush again, this time even flipping its tail in that direction. "Fine! I'll check if it makes you stop hissing at me," He coughed, quickly walking to the bush and glancing around dramatically for the serpent.  
"There's nothing here-"

He did a double take when he saw an unconscious girl covered in blood and poison berry-scent. "Oh, shit!" He coughed, running over and rapping her in his coat, being careful not to upset her stomach more that he knew it was already. "Poor fool," He would mutter now and then, carrying her to his base-cabin a while away. "Stupid too, aren't ya?" He asked loudly, seeing her twitch slightly and try to wake up. "Ah-ah-ah, you need to sleep!" He commanded, frowning as he finally got to his cabin and set her on the counter.

He ran over to the bathroom and got two white buckets and a funnel-tube. He filled one with warm water and the other he left empty, placing the tube end of the funnel in it and the other near the girl's mouth. "Okay, time to see if this will still work," He muttered, somewhat glad the girl was K. and not able to see he was rather nervous.

He wetted a rag and rubbed the girl's face off, slowly cleaning her off and beginning to unbutton her shirt quickly. He blushed, when he saw her slightly exposed chest (she still wearing a bra, no worries), but didn't hesitate to push roughly onto her stomach and start pulling/rubbing at her neck slowly, then forcing a small clump to land on in his hand. "So…she ate a Killer-Wine Berry." The man sweatdropped; then he began repeating the process a few more times and collecting _at least_ 15 of the red-clumps themselves.

The girl coughed slowly, her eyes shutting tighter. "Almost done, girlie," He soothed, rubbing her forehead and washing her face and chest more before lifting her up and quickly pressing her mouth to the funnel. Instantly, she vomited more, her body's way of both punishing her and ridding itself of the juices from the berries. "There, there, sweet, it's alright," He cooed, realizing the last thing he wanted to do was berate her after that horrible time she must have had.

…

…

…

"Nnneh," She weakly moaned, trying to wipe her mouth and open her eyes. "Ah- ah- ah! You'll get yourself sick again, sweet," A voice warned, and she felt a finger tap her nose slowly. "GAH! WHO THE FU-" Kat fell backwards and landed on the floor. "Whoa!" The voice- male, she remarked- gasped. "Are you alright, girlie?" He asked, jumping off the counter and trying to help Kat up. "Rah!" Kat flailed, trying to jump back and get away when her stomach practically tore her in two. "_Ouch, ouch, ouch_!" She hissed, doubling over in pain.

"Take it easy, love, you almost died." The man said, leaning over and pulling her into his lap quickly. "H-huh?" Kat growled; Kat was beginning to blush before the man stuffed a pill and water into her mouth, forcing her to swallow. "Gah!" She squirmed, trying to get free. "Cool off, girlie!" He yelled, rapping his arms around Kat and forcing her to hold still. She coughed and squirmed, kicking at the man.

"I said stop!" He growled, pulling her back to his front and tightening his grip. "Let the medicine work off the poison," He commanded, sighing in relief when Kat went limp and shuddered. After a moment, she rasped something he didn't catch. "What was that?" The man asked, looking over her shoulder. "I asked what your name was," She growled, blinking slightly.

"My name is…Karl S. Kalóz," Kat felt Karl bow his head slightly. "I'm Katsume A. Yao," Kat rasped slowly, squirming. "How…how did I get here?" She asked, looking around slowly. "I took you here," Karl deadpanned, slowly letting her go. "You ate some red berries," It was more of a statement than a question, but Kat nodded anyway. "Hai, I thought they were berries from my home country." She explained, coughing slightly. "Big mistake," They chorused. Kat smiled warily, leaning up against a poll and nodding her head to Karl.

"Thank you for saving my, Mr. Kalóz," Kat looked around. "I'll be going now," She muttered, being to walk to the exit-door. "Ah- ah- ah, you need rest." Karl said, pulling Kat gently to the couch. "No- My friend will be worried, sir," Kat protested, closing her eyes and frowning slightly.

"Sleep," Karl said simply, frowning gently. "You need it more than anything now; it will get rid of that nasty headache, the belly-tearing feeling and the heat." He said, knowing the symptoms without Kat having to say them. "Ho-how did you know about those?" Kat asked lamely, reluctantly lying on the comfy couch slowly. "I was in your place once, only I didn't eat as many as you did." He chuckled, smiling and petting her head.  
"Oh," Kat closed her eyes, and slowly muttered 'G'night,' before passing into a long sleep.

Karl got up and lamely sat on the counter, watching Katsume sharply. 'It's bad she was so out of it, and good at the same time.' He silently noted. 'Bad thing, she didn't notice she wasn't wearing a shirt. Good side, she didn't think I was a rapist that took off her shirt.' He noted dryly, sighing as Kat whimpered lowly in her sleep. "Mmm," She looked someone sad in her sleep, and Karl wondered briefly if she was having nightmares.

"Ah, poor girl." He muttered, leaning back and observing Katsume. She had finely tanned skin, long- though dirty- red hair and graceful features…Her long legs hung off at the ankles on the couch, the rest of her looking tremendously depressed. Her eyes closed tightly and her sharp teeth biting into her bottom lip.

Karl suddenly fell backwards, his chair flipping him backwards. "AH!" He yelped, slamming down on his back and looking around quickly. He heard a low hiss from behind him. "You," He growled, glancing at the snake. "What was that for, serpentine brat?" He growled lowly, frowning at the green snake. It seemed to say 'Because you were staring,' with the way it hissed and rose up in a mime of how it saw Karl staring at Kat.

"I did not look like that- or stare, you jerk," He frowned, sitting up and picking up the snake. "Here, just don't bite her or I'll chop you up and use you for soup," He warned, setting the snake on part Kat's pillow and pulling the blanket up to cover her chest. Both seemed greatly calmed by each other's presences.

"Hm," He sighed, rubbing his temples as he rose up and leaned against the counter. "I'll need to handle this," He glared at the buckets he had forgotten and he hauled them up and dumped the waste into a ditch. "Fun," He deadpanned, sneering slightly. He quickly went in and washed his hands before climbing up to the attic and looking through a looking-glass for anyone Kat might know…

In the forest…

"Katsume! Where are you?!" Rachel yelled, getting more worried by the second. "Come out, Kitty-Kitty-Kitty!" She clicked her tongue and franticly searched. "Over here, Kat!" She called again, running around in search of the lost Kitty. She stopped after a moment and sighed. 'I really hope she is ok,' Rachel inwardly fretted. "She did seem…Super sad."

'What if she is dead?' Rachel panicked; eyes wide as she ran again in search. "Kat," She yelled, screaming at the tops of her lungs. "Don't be dead! O-or I'll kill you!" She bolted deeper into the forest, yelling for Kat…

Soon, she came across said house, frowning and staring at the door seriously.  
"That door…" She spotted the blood red slashed across the front, violently being thrown back into a memory.

'Red…'

"_Big Brother! Brother! Wait up, we need to help Ms. L! That fire! Her sist-er…Brother? …Why, Shaney?" The smaller Rachel looked up teary eyed at the back of her beloved Shane's head, frowning and hiccupping. Then she looked back, small scary eyes meeting a roaring wildfire.  
"Rachel, we need to leave; I can't get Lilah- she lives too far away;" He explained, hiking Rachel higher on his back as he ran. "I'm sorry, Rachel." _

'Red brings death…'

'E-except for Kat's hair…' Rachel stopped for a moment, closing her eyes and remembering all the fun she had recently with her strange friend.  
…

"I cannot lose Katsume…Like I lost Ms. L," She clenched her fists, barreling at the door shouting "Never again!"-

-just as the door opened, throwing Rachel off and making her crash into a wall. "Ouch,"  
"You could have knocked," She heard, quickly getting up and facing her opponent. "Why is that blood smeared outside the door?" She asked, frowning and instantly placing her hands on the ground. "That must have been Kitty's blood!" And she then attacked, ferociously, and rapidly with her water-rainbow alchemy. The man laughed, smiling as he kicked Rachel's feet out from under her and pressing her forehead.

"Rah!" The latter yelled, jumping up and back, (knocking over more than one lamp.) and landed ready to shoot more water spears at the man when-

-It didn't work… "Huh?" The man clapped slowly, smiling. "Nice job, rubber-neck." He laughed, grinning. He leaned against the bar-looking island and shook his head. Rachel observed him as she slowly got back on her feet.

He was wearing blue jeans, old-style sandals and a dark green bucket hat- minus a shirt. He was tall and well-tanned; despite looking extremely clumsy due to his height he was rather cute.  
The way his light blonde hair had semi-cow licks at the top compared to the way it hung at the side of his head and got slightly darker…It was fitting of the man, though he seemed strange in himself.  
He had double irises eyes, with gray closer to the pupil and a shockingly light blue farther out in each eye.

'Aside from probably being a murderer, he's…Pretty cute,' Rachel noted again, blushing slightly.

"Who are you?" Rachel and the stranger asked at the same time. The stranger bowed, smiling at Rachel. She might have blushed again, but was too focused on not fainting herself. "Ladies first," He commented, grinning comically. "I-I'm Rachel Nightlock…Now, who are you?" She demanded, frowning to herself.

"Karl C. Kalóz, at your service;" He chuckled, smiling. "Hey, by any chance do you know a 'Katsume A. Yao'?" Rachel's eyes lit up excitedly. "You know where she is?! Tell me-"

"Could y'all shuddup; I'm trying to rest…" "Kat!" Rachel cheered, tackle hugging the redheaded girl. "No-no-no!" Karl scolded, frowning. "She got food poisoning. She needs rest."  
"Why do you say thing in threes?" Kat asked groggily, rubbing her eyes and letting Rachel maul her. "Habit; why do you eat poison berries?"

"I merely felt a sudden attraction to death," Kat's voice dropped, and she frowned seriously. "And I didn't know they were poison-" Karl tsked under his breath, smirking. "You are truly luck to be alive right now," He said, chuckling. "I must thank you then, Mr. Kalóz," Kat bowed, smiling politely now that she had her wits back with her. "For not leaving me to die in the woods-_ And_ treating me." She closes her eyes again, giving her that creepily calm look face.

"No problema, Ms. Yao." Karl smiled, laughing to himself. "It wouldn't do well to leave a rotting body in the forest nowadays," He commented freely. Rachel's face paled as she tugged at Kat's sleeve-

"…Kat," She paled more, comically. "What happened to your shirt?"

_Silence_;

"That's a wonderful question, Rachel." Kat's eyebrow twitched as she stared open-eyed at Karl. "Now, what's the answer?" She asked, standing quickly and leering over Karl. "A-ah…" He blinked, smiling shakily. "I…I had to take it off to clean you…" Kat smiled. "Well, alrighty then." She deadpanned, looking to Rachel. "We can leave, right?" Both asked, looking to the door. "Hm…Not quite yet, ladies;" Karl blinked closing his eyes. "Ms. Yao did consume plenty of those Killer-Wine berries…" He closed his eyes, pretending to think. "So I bet in a few seconds…" He paused, suddenly behind Katsume as she twitched and started to fall. "Kat!" Rachel jumped, flailing.

"Ms. Yao would pass out due to lack of rest," Karl finished, laying Kat down on the couch. "But Kalóz! Katsume and I need to return to our camp-area-thing!" Rachel hisses, frowning and looking at the taller male before frowning. "And you're creepy," She stated.

"…Thanks," Karl blinked, wiping away mimed tears. "I am so hurt; Anyway, Ms. Yao cannot be left unattended-" "I can heal her!" "-With someone unskilled in herbs-" "I like plants! I know herbs!" "-From around here- and how to fix them," Karl finished, glaring at the bouncing girl. "Like myself, Ms. Nightlock.-

"Then come with us!" Rachel said bluntly, blinking. "Problem solved, see? You come, with us and we get to go back home and you can fix Kat! Then all's good-good knock-knock!" Rachel jumped up, pointing at the taller man and grinning. "And we don't leave far from here!"

Karl thought for a few moments, comparing all the pros and cons of coming with the loco girl…There was Kat, the sick and needing…Yet there was Rachel…Whom Karl was sure seriously disliked him already, and was just using him to get Kat help…  
"…Let me pack my bags," He sighed, smiling wearily. It had been a long while since he'd been 'used' like Rachel was thinking of using him.

Little did he know, Rachel was referring to their home in Amestris; More specifically, Central…

**(A/N: What mischief will Kat, Rachel and now Karl get into? More than you'd guess, with our latest's addition's record in the city…Similar to recent 'problems' our heroine was researching herself…)**


	13. The Deadly Dream ( corrected chapter!)

_**A/N: This chapter holds explicit content that may be inappropriate for the younger readers…  
This is not a smut story, but this chapter contains hints of sexual content and unwilling participation. There will be three stars (***) when the content gets dirty. Thank you.**_

_**Also, I apologize for not updating recently, I have been busily with school and the like…  
:P  
…Uber-Special thanks to Mage of Hope, and her OC Tomoyo; Shout out to DoctorWhotaliaandtheOlympian s, you and your long username! And To all others who have sent in OC to this story- tell me how they fare so far to you! Thank you, and enjoy chapter 13 of Fullmetal Dreamer!**_

_Little did he know, Rachel was referring to their home in __Amestris__; More specifically, Central…  
__

_Days later, in a car headed to Central…_

"…I fall asleep…And we end up in Amestris again?" Kat asked groggily, looking to the streets that were vaguely familiar to her foggy mind. Dark- it_ was _night- but still familiar (no matter how vague it was). "What magic is this…?" She groaned tiredly. Katsume slowly lifted her head from the cool glass and looked to her side. Rachel was in the front, passenger seat- thank gods, along with Karl (whom was driving- again, thank the gods!).

Kat yawned, trying to shake the sleep from her eyes. "Mm…We must have booked it, huh Telum?" She asked, smiling sleepily at the large snake splayed across her lap and around her torso. Telum hissed happily in response; flicking his (it was a male,) tongue at the red head. She smiled and lolled her head back, stifling a cough.

Anytime she coughed or sniffed, Karl would drag Rachel in and the hardly-standing-each-other-duo would proceed to "_Tend to the poor little kitty._"

'…Evil bastards,' Kat mused, chucking inaudibly. She looked around and, deciding not to alert the duo up front, silently leans forward and smiles as she looks at Rachel. The younger Nightlock girl was sleepy, that was oblivious, but she also wasn't going to sleep. Kat guessed it was because Rachel didn't exactly trust Karl. He might have saved the princess, but for some reason Rachel seriously disliked the man.

'…What's to say Rachel doesn't seriously dislike you too, Katsume?' The red head asked herself, knowing her smile instantly leaked from her face as she slowly slunk back into the seat, snuggling up to Telum and laying on her side. 'What's to say Rachel is just using me to learn about something? She knew a lot about Xerxes; as if she's been there…She works with the military- what were they even doing in the palace that day?' Kat started shaking slightly, her eyes dulling.  
'What if…Rachel doesn't even care about me…?'

Kat closed her eyes, silently drifting into another tormented dream.

Although, in the front seat…Rachel was grilling Karl for information and slowly nodding off- when Karl states something softly. Rachel jerks upright and blinks. "What?" She groggily asks. Karl chuckles, shaking his head.  
"I said, one of the effects of the 'Wine Berry is frantic action, and that includes distrust, despair, depression and the feeling of Do-Or-Die kinda impulse…" Karl frowned. "I know it all from firsthand experience." When Rachel didn't respond, Karl continued. "It's the reason I needed to stay with Katsume- even after the immediate poison is gone there is still the chance of…Well, the _other things _I mentioned…" Karl paused, sighing softly. "And since she ate so many- the risk is great. Rachel? Do you hear me-" Karl glanced over to the Nightlock girl and growled.

She was asleep.

'At least one of us can get some rest…'

He didn't notice Kat twitch in her fatigued sleep, or the silent and reddened tears that dripped from her eyes…

"_Greed! You can't do this!" Ling's voice beat inside Greed's skull lowly, as the Homunculus laughed aloud, imitating the real Ling's way perfectly. "Ma-master Ling?" Lan Fan's soft voice called Greed back to the present time. "Wh-why are you looking at me like that?" Greed's eyes roamed lazily over the loyal servant's tight-suit clad body._

"_I am simply enjoying the view." Greed purred, grinning to himself and stepping forward to Lan Fan. "And what a great view it is," This is the point in which Lan Fan realized her master was not her master, and wisely decided to run back._

_"Lan Fan! Where do you think you're going?" Greed sprinted after the dark haired beauty, keeping Ling's voice simply to confuse the little Xingese woman…  
Soon enough, Greed caught up to Lan Fan and trapped her in a cornered ally…With her weak from all the recent struggle, she was easy for the Homunculus male to keep her prisoner. _

_Lan Fan struggled against her captor's grips, yelling out for help and praying her Master could somehow hear her…  
"Greed! Stop this immediately! You can't do this to Lan Fan-" Greed growled to himself, and silently crushed Ling's voice in his head. "Are you ready, woman?" He chuckled darkly. "NO!" Lan Fan struggled viciously. 'Too bad,'_

_**(***SEMI-EXPICIT CONTENT AHEAD***)**_

_Greed took her then, pinning her to the wall and ravishing her body against her will, and ignoring Ling's voice as he tried to resurface and stop the Homunculi's actions…_

_Lan Fan refused to admit she would cherish being so close to her Master's body, but freely gave her opinion of how she felt for Greed and his horrible self.  
Finally, the guiltless Greed finished the dirty deed and contemplated if he should kill the woman. _

_For once, he listened to Ling's voice ringing in his head. Although, Ling's voice did sound much more feminine, again…He would need to tease the latter over that later, if Princess~ Ling would forgive the Homunculus for his actions…_

_Lan Fan, lying violated and tear sodden, used her last remaining strength to drag her body to a certain doctor.  
Again…_

_**(***SEMI-EXPLICT CONTENT, OVER***; A/N: yes, Greed is hearing Katsume's voice…But why?)**_

"Mom!" Katsume shot up in the car seat, panting and teary eyed. "Oh, dear god! Mom..." Kat was scarred, and deeply regretted ever wanting to remember her dreams. "Ever since I came to this damn country, all I've got was scars and dead ends!" She slammed her hand into the seat, alarming Telum- who had curled under the princess's chin and slept- into a hissing fit.

"Katsume-" Rachel's head snapped forward upon hearing the solid slam behind her. "Are you alrigh-" She gasped to herself, seeing Kat's teary face in the mirror. "Ohmygod- Kat! He-hey, you! Kaaaarrll! Stop the car!" Rachel screamed, slamming her hand on his leg urgently.

Karl slammed down on the brakes, nearly crashing the old-style car into a light pole.  
"What is going on?!" He quickly parked the car expertly. "Why are you screaming?"  
"Kat's crying!" Rachel yelped, jumping out and running to the distressed girl. "Kitty, are you ok?"

"Watashinohaha...Watashinohaha, watashinōtōsan...I...Ling-san wa, watashinōtōsande wanaidesu!" Kat slammed her hands down, standing suddenly and pacing the street franticly and screaming in Xingese. "Ikutsu ka no...Ā, watashi no kami! Naze watashi wa koko ni mo imasu!? Kono norowa reta kunide wa, watashi mo, norowa reta homunculus o shiru koto ga dekinai...Jigoku, watashi wa...Watashi wa chi no hanbun no hinshuda to omou;" Katsume's eyes widened in shock…She clutched her head and teetered forward. "Taitoru purinsesu no sae fusawashikunai…"

With these final words, Katsume stopped. "Not even worthy…?" She shook her head, running a dirty hand over her wet eyes. "Ms. Yao-?" Karl began to reach for her shoulder. Katsume whirled about and slashed at his hand suddenly. "Don't call me that!" She yelled, chest heaving inaudibly. "Ka-Kat?" The confused duo stumbled backwards. "What's wrong-"

"Just- leave- me- _alone_!" She screamed, turning and running down the street. "Katsume!" Rachel yelled after her, starting to follow the distressed teenager-

"Rachel! Look out!" Karl zoomed forward, grabbed the brunette and jumped behind the car. Katsume had used explosives to delay them…  
The entire downward area of the street was totally obliterated by the red-head's wayward paper bomb.

**Hours later, Central Office…  
Tomoyo Yamagishi's 'desk'.**

"So…Tell me exactly how the street…_Spontaneously combusted_?" Tomoyo growled at the duo before him. "Um…Global warming, chief?" Rachel offered, nursing a few bruises on her arms. "Nice try, agent Nightlock." Tomoyo growled to the smaller woman. "And what about you- Mr. Kalóz? What is your excuse?" Tomoyo sighed, tired and grumpy. "Well, love, I…Would you believe-"  
"Why did you kill this person Karl?!" Rachel yelled, flailing. "What?" "The street?" Tomoyo offered.

"Wh-what? Ch- phshaaw! I didn't do that? …Explosions and killing people…Is my…Is my least favorite thing to do…"  
"Tell me Karl, exactly what you were doing before you were brought in here?" Tomoyo leaned forward, seriously. "Well, I was driving…" "Ok," "I was, I was…Sitting up front." "Yes?" "And my friend jumped out…" "Ok," "And well, she littered and bombed the road." "…Kaaaarrll! The kill's peoples!" "Oh! Oh…I didn't know that," Karl said sarcastically.

"Yeah…Maybe I'm in the wrong here…I suck," Karl giggled, hanging his head in mock shame. Tomoyo was silent, frowning at the little show Karl and Rachel had started to put on. Slowly, Tomoyo looked over the pictures taken at the scene, furrowing his little brows and staring hard at the middle photo.

"…What happened to the hands?" He deadpanned.


	14. Kitty's not a Creator!

_**IT'S A BLOODY MIRACLE! CHAPTER 14 OF FULLMETAL DREAMER WAS IN THE RECYCLING BIN! Seriously, this morning I was looking around, deleted something- then thought to check out all the things I deleted!  
And also sorry for the wait, too. 3  
Hope you enjoy, 'cause now I'm gonna go as quick as I can to update more chappies.  
((please don't hate me for the wait~!))**_

"…_What happened to the hands?" He deadpanned._  
_

"Ah…His hands?" Karl deadpanned, sweat dropping comically. "Well, I have no idea-" "You understand I could have you arrested for this, Mr. Kalóz?" Karl stuttered, backing up and paling oddly. "But I didn't-" "Mr. Kalóz, let's back-pace a little…We have seen Ms. Nightlock's identification. Don't try to plead innocent when we haven't seen _your _I.D., sir. Where are your papers?"

_Silence;_

Karl was paler than before, and he looked about ready to get sick. "Pa-papers…?" He nervously patted his pockets, hoping- no, praying that they would magically appear in his pockets. No such luck. 'I am guessing we're gonna be here a while.' Rachel inwardly sighed.

Days later

Not only were Rachel and Karl more than worried sick about Kat, they were terrified of the small yet clever detective before them. Rachel, in a blaze of forgetfulness, unconsciously hinted at her part Tomoyo and Katsume's restaurant meeting- Thus earning them to be taken under his custody, which was worse than it sounded. The ruthless little tyrant treated the duo like convicts. And all the while, Rachel and Karl could only think about Katsume, what she must be feeling. Little did any of them know- Kat could have vanished off the face of the earth, with all Tomoyo's relentless search for the girl who humiliated him!

_**Meanwhile…**_

In the lower standard area of Central, a young woman, who had been dubbed the '_Winged Balance_' by local magazines, was walking, looking desperately for her mistress…  
Short green hair was neatly tied up in a high pony tail; her paled skin was marble smooth, as if she was a newborn- but the set of that small mouth and big pupil-less brown eyes shown coldly as Faolin Celestrianness searched the streets.

'_Where is the Mistress?_' Despite the cold demeanor, her thoughts were franticly rushing around her head- giving the strange girl a terrible headache. 'I must find the Mistress, she could be hurt and in pain here-' "Agh!"  
A newspaper had slapped Faolin in the eyes, lashing around as if in a vain attempt to flee the sudden winds.

The green-haired woman snatched the paper and frowned with thin lips. "What in the-" She paused, narrowing her eyes at the front page.

"_Central Killer still at large;_" Silently yelled the head title.

Faolin huffed, but leaned against a wall as she read on. Mistress had once said the News-stands were perfect for bits of information- but not those cheap magazines. They almost always lied.

"_15 women which are suspected victims found recently in Central, no leads yet found…Detective Tomoyo Y. has currently slacked up in the hunt- Has the Pipsqueak Detective finally given up? Our sources say differently, as we a reporter noted that he was seen chasing a suspect in the streets of outer Central- or as it's commonly called by its inhabitants, __The Outermost Slums__…_"

Faolin huffed to herself as she finished sourly. "Humans; Such morons…If only a Conqueror Worm would arise…The again, maybe this killer is the one-" A woman rushed past Faolin, her energy flaring obnoxiously and strangely. Faolin growled, glaring after the woman. She squinted;

The woman was young, and she had short, light colored hair and was only slightly taller than most humans Faolin had seen in her years. The woman was tan, but barely. She looked sickish, in a nameless way. She walked with a slouch, hands deep in her pants pockets and a loose, casual zip-up hoodie, the sleeves pushed up. Her navy blue pants looked like they were worn often, although clean. Both of the woman's arms were wrapped, tightly and neatly. There could have been more parts of her wrapped, under her clothes for instance, but Faolin couldn't see.

But from what Faolin could see, the woman had bags under her eyes and a deep set frown. She was watching, as her Mistress had once told her that it was wise to watch everyone carefully, and something about this woman caught Faolin's attention…And then it hit her, like a ton of bricks.

Faolin stared in awestruck wonder, as this stranger had a familiar aura! Exactly the same as she remembered!

Faolin ran to the woman, and was beside her in a flash- giving the woman a heart attack. "Excuse me," She gasped, grabbing the woman by her shoulders. "But who are you-" There was a flash of light grey, and Faolin spotted a gash on her left hand. A sharp hiss followed by a sharper pain in her shoulder caused Faolin to just backwards.  
She was confused. How could someone with such a similar energy to her _Mistress_ hurt her? Why?

"What's the matter with you?" Faolin exclaimed, suddenly falling to her knees, her body seizing. "A-aowh!" She grabbed at her hand. Burning pain had ripped Faolin up inside. "Why…Why did you attack…Me?" Why was Faolin's voice getting slower? What…What did that woman do?

"Don't touch me." The stranger's voice was dull, yet it sounded like a broken bird's warble- cold and wrong. Faolin looked up at the stranger- To see the face of her Mistress. It all made sense now! Her Mistress hadn't recognized her own creation- she must be stressed! That's why the energy was so erratic! That was why! Even with Faolin's increasingly darkening gaze it all made sense!

'_My beloved Mistress…Is back, after all this time! She's finally back!_'

And Faolin dropped, reaching out for her creator…

Katsume slowly walked, slouching, to the stranger who had been bitten by Telum.

She had short green hair, which was neatly tied up in a high pony tail. Her pale skin glistened with sweat from the venom working in her veins, and her small mouth greedily wanted to get more and more air for her slowly shutting down body. Brown big eyes seemed strange to Katsume, although she only took the pupil-less eyes as proof she was dead. '_Definitely dead,_' Kat thought, frowning slightly.

Katsume walked over to the girl and tapped her with her left foot.

She thought again when the girl's icy hand grabbed her ankle. "Miss…Tress…" Kat blinked. "Miss Tress? Who's that?" Her curiosity finally overwhelmed her. She leaned down and picked up the girl, blinking in confusion at how light she seemed, and how her body gave off a strange energy, all at once. Kat hadn't thought people would be as weightless as this, especially after being dropped by snake's venom...

Katsume sighed, looking around. There were almost no people in that area, not to see the scene before Kat. And if she left, no one would know, right? '_Hm…Promising- but I guess I'm not so put out to let someone die before me._' Kat sighed again, narrowing her eyes at the pale woman at her feet. "Hmph." Katsume closed her eyes and crouched next to the girl.

She torn off a piece of cloth from her right leg's wrapping and cut off the circulation in the girl's left arm, wrapping tightly as she could just above the girl's elbow. "Telum…" She muttered, frowning as the snake flicked his tongue behind her ear. The snake slithered down the back of her neck, and came out her right sleeve. Kat flinched slightly, but ignored the snake as she continued her work. Her arm still hurt from the attack she had been dealt from Tomoyo, and as she experimented with her arm a little, she found it was stiff most of the time and that there was indeed a scar. Like that old woman, the snarky nurse Kat bullied, Margret, had said there was going to be.

Kat growled, clearing her mind and imagining focused on the girl beneath her…She closed her eyes, thinking  
…Kat felt that the girl was very close to death- almost a corpse already…She frowned, and shivers coursed along her spine. That helped; she had to get the venom out, that's all…

But firstly, she needed something to cut with.

Kat opened her eyes, and smiled.

_**Xingese Palace, Ling and Lan Fan's Room**_

"Honey…"

"Yes dear?"

"Do you think Kitty's alright?"

Lan Fan stifled a sigh; Ling had been worried sick, not hearing anything from their little girl had bedded all kinds of doubts in his mind. This was the seventh time today he had asked her. Lan Fan had doubts herself, but didn't want to worry her beloved any more. She was worried nearly to a sickbed herself, on the inside, to be truthful.

"I'm sure she's fine, Ling."

"Hm."  
Ling knew better than to believe his wife, as much as he loved her, she was a terrible liar when it came to Katsume, and was talking to Ling. Ling leaned back in his chair, frowning and thinking of all the good things about Katsume…

She smiled suddenly, looking up at Ling. "Ling, I just remembered something…Something I think'll cheer you up!" She exclaimed, jumping up. "What's that, honey?" He asked, looking over at his wife. She grabbed Ling's arm, and dragged Ling out into the hallways, running with him somewhere he had no knowledge of.

"Lan Fan, where are you taking me?" He asked after a few minutes of running. "You're going to be thrilled!" Was her only reply, her sly smile hidden from Ling's view as she dragged him on, leading him along the many, many maze like halls.

_

"Are we lost, honey?" Ling was confused, his eyes closed and a puzzled look on his face. "No, Ling. We are not lost." Lan Fan laughed, smiling slightly. "Then is Kitty waiting inside there for us?" He asked, looking almost hopeful. Lan Fan's smile froze, and she coughed once or twice. "…No." She sighed at last. Ling was pining after his baby girl; Lan Fan was surprised he wasn't setting up a small shrine in her absence.

"Oh…What is this than? Why are we outside Katsume's room…?" He let the question hang there for a moment, and he felt disappointed still. He _was _missing his child. "I'm sorry that you miss her so much, Ling…I miss our daughter too," She smiled slightly. "But, Ling, she might not be with us…" She hurried along as he looked aghast, fearful for his baby, "She has left a little bit of her here." She finished, stepping forward and swinging open the doors to Kat's room.

It was large, and formed in an apartment-like design. It had its own living room, bathroom, two bedrooms (each with a loaded closet), a basement like room, which was cold and full of the girl's hobbies- Katsume did have many hobbies- which was dubbed the Activity Room. The main room, which was the living room area, was not decorated at all. The walls were barren, except for random paintings from around the palace. It was light, and had red and gold colors splashed around, in a Xingese tradition.

Ling and Lan Fan walked into the first bathroom, through Kat's first bedroom (the once she slept in more often), and Ling was depressed. This little trip was turning into a waste, nothing but things to remind him she wasn't there, yelling quietly for them to get out of her room so she could do her hobbies in peace. He sighed, and walked into Lan Fan's back. When had she stopped again? He was way too spaced out.

Lan Fan turned around, smiling playfully. "What is it?" Ling asked, opening one eye. "You know how you hated Kitty dying her hair red and using those yellow drops for her eyes, right?" Ling flinched. He did. The young Katsume and Ling had gotten into a terrible argument at the tender age of _five _about her rash actions.

The five year old royal child of Xing and first daughter of Ling, had tried to permanently dye her hair red and her eyes yellow- and used Amestrian kitchen condiments. Lan Fan safely suggested giving Katsume actual dye at the age of ten, (Katsume had used her own 'methods' to get her eyes a yellow color). And regretted the choice ever since.  
Now, years and years later, she had STILL used the dye every few months to keep her hair red, and her eyes gold…

And what Lan Fan held in her pale hands, had made Ling laugh out loud, some belly-busting, manic laugh that she just smiled at. Her reaction was the same, when she found out.

After a few moment, Ling calmed himself, and looked up at Lan Fan.

"I can't believe she forgot her special dye," He wiped a tear from his eye. "Now when Kat comes back, we can see her beautiful _natural _hair and clever grey eyes!"


End file.
